Shinobi Shinigamis
by hitori.no.boku
Summary: A Naruto fic. 'Abandoned'
1. Chapter 1

SHINOBI SHINIGAMIS

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Past Events and Flashbacks are in_** bold, italics**_.

Speech: "Nice"

Thoughts: 'Nice'

Kyuubi's Speech: **"Nice"**

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It was night in Konoha. Shimmering and glistening in the sky, the moon hung low a pale deathly white color, it's dim light illuminating the darkness of the village. Around Konoha most were asleep, the exception being one blonde haired, calculating, blue-eyed shinobi.

Uzumaki Naruto

Lifting his head, the blonde enigma looked to the clock at his bed side and the red numbers that were glaring back at him. Exactly an hour and thirty minutes. An hour and thirty minutes to freedom. And all he had to do was stay calm.

Naruto looked up at his ceiling, his eyes wandering across the spiraling cracks across the plaster and he sighed, rolling onto his side, grimacing as he felt pain course through his body. He placed his hand on his chest, fingers traveling lightly down, tracing over scarred skin. Scarred skin where the last of the Uchihas had stuck a Chidori through him. His mind drifted away, and he found his memory's placing him at Konoha's gates, the Uchiha slung across his back, dead weight bringing him down.

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_**He stumbled through the open gates, the wound near his heart gaping wide, blood long gone from hours of runnng. **_

_**He was dying.**_

_**His life force was slowly leaving, even with Kyuubi working overtime trying to heal him. His exhausted body crumpled to the dirt floor, finally giving out to blood loss and fatigue. His collapse had attracted no attention, until one scarecrow ninja had happened across the gates.**_

_**The famous Sharingan no Kakashi just caught faint movement out of the corner of his eye and within a second had approached close enough to where he could readily identify the mangled bodies. **_

_**His visible eye widened in ill concealed shock. Bending down he quickly grasped the first figure, Uchiha Sasuke, and disappeared, his urgency to save his most prized student, overriding the responsibilty he had to the other.**_

--Inside Hospital--

_**Sakura Haruno looked up as the doors of the hospital opened and permit a tired and haggard looking Hatake Kakashi who had Sasuke, her teamate slung over her shoulder.**_

_**It would take five minutes and the constant screaming of a certain fan-girl before Sasuke was finally admitted into the hospital. **_

_**It would take another ten for Kakashi to then get to the Hokage's office, admist the wails of the pink haired nin.**_

_**It would take him a second to get pummeled out of the building.**_

_**And sadly, it would take another twenty minutes for Naruto to finally be discovered.**_

--Meanwhile with Naruto--

Inside Naruto's Mindscape.

_**The Kyuubi winced as he saw Naruto's condition, and he turned his demonic head, chakra flowing from his body through Naruto focusing on healing his container. Afterall, if the container died the bijuu died.. He looked up as he felt a presence, signalling the arrival of his host. **_

'_**Damn, now I have to do MORE work' he mentally roared. The great Kyuubi no Kitsune, Lord of Hell did not want to die. He scowled again as Naruto began to awaken in his mind. **_

"_**Where am I"?**_

_**The Kyuubi bared its teeth, and grinned, "Where else, whelp, but with me?"**_

_**A flash of memories jolted through Naruto's sense, courtesy of the King of Demons.**_

"_**No, Kakashi-sensei wouldn't abandon me like that, that's impossible"**_

"_**Listen whelp", the Kyuubi snarled "Im telling you what I saw, he looked at both of you and just picked up Sasuke and left and now you, in all your greatness are lying in the middle of Konoha rotting."**_

"_**Its impossible" Naruto said, "He must have just forgot", but deep down he knew Kakashi had left him and scorned him just like the village had all his life.**_

"_**Forgot, HA!" the Kyuubi's voice boomed, "He forgot? That's like forgetting that you're my container, its UNFORGETTABLE! He knew what he was doing, and he KNEW he abandoned you!"**_

"_**Whelp listen, I have many years of experience, experience FAR beyond your imagination,", he paused, his mouth curling into a smirk and continued, "If you want to live you have to do one thing for me...one thing. For if I can't stop the bleeding, I will have to signal for help, or else you would die. And you don't want that to happen would you?" He stopped, the smirk still plastered on his face as Naruto lifted his head and looked him in the eyes**_

"_**What do I have to do?", he whispered.**_

_**The Kyuubi grinned, the massive teeth of the demon showing through his cage.**_

"_**Leave this hell hole of a a place you call home, leave Konoha. Betray your friends and loved ones, for they have already betrayed you."**_

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Jiraiya had eventually found him. The toad sennin had been attracted by the insane chakra surge Kyuubi had pulsed out of Naruto's body. Being the nosy Toad Sannin he was, he sped off to investigate, only to find his pupil lying face down in the streets of Konoha, almost dead.

And with the young blonde near death, he rushed to the hospital, using as many medical jutsu he could to keep Naruto alive.

Naruto stayed in the hospital five days unconscious, healing, but really planning his strike for freedom and life away from Konoha. Unsuprisingly during that time Kakashi, nor Sakura had visited him.

After a two weeks of hell, confined to the four white walls of a hopsital room, he was let go. Finally, freedom was in reach. Feeling as if nothing could get better, he was in high spirits. That bitch 'Destiny' just had to be around didn't she?

The encounter with his pink haired team mate had been an extremely vocal one.

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He preffered not to think of it, using the old tactic of just forgetting. But he was going to take it another level. He was going to forget everything about his former team, or at least try to. They weren't worth remembering. The encounter with the banshee had just attracted unwanted attention to him. Not that he cared. He just had one ambition now, and that was to leave and never set eyes on that Konoha again.

And as he lay on his bed, awaiting his escape, he vowed that throughout his life, never again would he be subject to people that didn't appreciate him. Never again.

He looked at his alarm clock. 'Tme to start', he thought. Walking to his drawer he began to pull random clothes from it at a speedy pace. His hands flew in and out of the wooden holder, completely by-passing the orange and bright yellow clothes there, instead going for the darker, more versatile clothes of a true shinobi. Slipping those on, he grabbed the sparkling gem of Tsunades necklace from the table, and fastened it on his neck. It was one of the few things that he would cherish from Konoha. Putting on his shoes he shuffled out of the rundown apartment, not bothering to lock the flimsy door.

Minutes of fast footed travel and he was at the gates. The one pathway to his freedom, the place where he belonged. He didn't bother to check for the gate guard, they had long since been dispatched by his Kage Bunshin.

He walked through the open gates, swirls of dirt kicking up with each footstep. Naruto turned once, looking back at the place he had called home for years.

He turned his back, and continued walking.

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It would be twelve years before the inhabitants of Konoha set eyes on him again.

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	2. Chapter 2

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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Naruto sped away through the trees, heading west, he didn't know what he was going to find, but hopefully it would be better than the experience he had in Konoha. He decided to head to wave country, and then find out what to do from there. At least the people there didn't view him as a threat. Then maybe he would catch a boat somewhere.

He knew the hunters-nins were on his trail, and he needed to escape fire country as quickly as possible.

"**Whelp, I suggest not going into contact with those people you know in Wave, it could prove to be a disadvantage**".

"Why?"

"**Well, for one they could inform Konoha that you had taken refuge there, and you would DIE**", Kyuubi snarled, "**I suggest you head south, toward Tea Country, and hide out, nobody there knows you, you would probably be safe**."

"Hmm sounds like a good idea, but then what"

"**Well decide when we get there but first, you need something to protect yourself, now that you are a missing nin**."

Naruto stopped, and focused on Kyuubi, "Like what?"

**"I think it's time that my container is ready to use the power of the King of Demons."**

-----Time skip, One week, Fire Country----

Naruto called his chakra to his hands again, and began to form a hard chakra flame in the middle of his palms. Kyuubis words echoed through his head

"**Human, this is the second step to the Ho no Mai, a lost taijutsu style, finishing this style will help with the mastery of fire. Since you already know how to do the first step, I have skipped that part**"

"Huh, I know how to do the first step?"

"**Yes, it's the same as the Rasengan, forming chakra in your palms, and making a solid form, now the second step, is to form that chakra, and make a barrier around yourself with it. Now that we trained your chakra control for a week, you should have the necessary chakra control to pull the chakra from your palms to cover your body**, **now get going, I want to see you pull the chakra from your hands and set some logs on fire!"**

**----**Time Skip, two Weeks, on the boarders of Tea, and Fire Country**-----**

Naruto lay on the ground exhausted, he had trained his body, physically to its limits, battering logs trying to set them on fire was painful, and pulling his and Kyuubis chakra up his arms to cover his body, took a lot of concentration, and control. One mistake could blast his arm off. But for all his complaint and effort he had finally mastered it, to some extent. He was able to move the chakra to form a barrier to protect him, but there were a few spots that needed to be covered still. He got up to look for a stream to cool off.

Elsewhere…

Kazutoyo Mitoko, and her father Kazutoyo Machi, were camped out in the forest.

"Dad, how come we always eat what you catch, no offense, but you're a HORRIBLE cook."

Kazutoyo Machi scowled, and glared over his food at his daughter, "So is the life of the missing-nin. Eat or be eaten, and in this case, we are EATING, so be happy, humph."

"Whatever dad, tch, Im going to take a bath, have fun finishing the BURNT fish".

With a wave of her hand, she walked off.

"Tch, ungrateful brat", Machi remarked, as he bit into the fish.

----With Naruto-----

He stopped in front of a stream to cool his burning hands. Then something caught his eyes. The sight was beautiful. The crystal clear water reflected the moon, and the water glistened silver. But, that was not what caught Naruto's attention. In the shallows of the stream was a girl, but this was not just any girl, it was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He sat mesmerized by her.

Kyuubi growled in his mind

"**That's one hell of a girl, look at those curves, and hips, and, even by deom standards...jump her...**"

"SHUT UP KYUUBI IM LOOKING DAMMIT", he screamed.

'Oh shit'

The girl in the shallows looked up, to see a figure on the other side of the stream, one thought entered her mind, no, not Hunter nins, no, not animals, it was………… "PERVERT" she screamed at the top of her lungs. She leapt out of the water and Naruto was blasted back by a huge nose bleed. She grabbed a towel, and then proceeded to run away.

Elsewhere…

Kazutoyo Machi was eating his burnt fish, when he heard his daughter scream, one thought entered his mind; he dropped the fish, and grabbed his swords. 'Hunter Nin', he thought and sped off.

Naruto Uzumaki regained conscious to hear the call of _Suiton: Suiryudan no jutsu!_

He looked up, and saw a huge water dragon heading toward him. Only quick reflex saved him. He rolled onto his feet and lept back, as the water dragon blasted into his previous position. A huge man was facing him. The man towered over Naruto, he easily reached six five. He held twin katanas in his hands. A large brimmed hat shrouded his face. He wore a leather vest, white tank top, and dark black shinobi pants. He spoke two words, "Die Hunter" Then he leapt at Naruto.

'Hunter, does he think I'm hunter nin..oh shit'

He had no time to talk as another water dragon barreled straight toward him.

"You have dodged my attack, but you can not escape fabled mist swordsman Kazutoyo Machi, hunter, your time has run out! _Suiton: Kaihodan_!"

'Shit, he thought, I only got one chance" Naruto started to manipulate fire around his palms, and set up a barrier, 'I hope this works'. He left the barrier up, and started to retreat.

'Hmm, interesting technique, I've never seen it before, manipulating fire, hmm, must be a family trait.'

Kazutoyo watched as his water bullets impacted the fiery barrier, only to hiss and fizz away. His eyes widened, 'A fire hot enough to do that, very interesting indeed.'

"_Mizu Bunshin no jutsu_", he whispered. Ten _Mizu Bunshins_ surrounded him.

"Attack!", he roared.

Then he began the handseals for one of the more powerful water jutsu's he knew.

'Oh shit, oh shit' Naruto was thinking, 'What am I gonna do now'

And by reflex, from weeks of training, Naruto got into a fighting stance.

"_Ho No Mai_!", he shouted. The _Mizu Bunshins_ surrounded him, and with swords drawn, they systematically began to attack. Weaving in and out of flashing blades, and strikes, Naruto began to destroy the bunshins. With each strike, he called out a number, "Ichi, Ni, San," and so on, until the bunshins were gone.

Kazutoyo's eyes widened, 'This technique is very unique, he indeed has skill'

"Your end is close, hunter nin", he said as he sheathed his swords, "I am Kazutoyo Machi, ex Seven Mist Swordsmen, you can not beat me!

"Kazu, who?"

Kazutoyo sweatdropped, "You…, you mean you've never heard of me?" Recovering from this new revelation, he stopped, and pouted, "Never heard of me, ME Kazutoyo Machi, this is indeed a cruel world.

Kyuubi was screaming bloody murder inside of Naruto's head.

"**God dammit tell him you're not a Hunter nin, before we get KILLED!!!!**"

"Sir, I don't know what you think, but, I'm not a hunter nin", Naruto rasped.

Kazutoyo peered at Naruto.

'No cloak, no mask, hmm, doesn't LOOK, like a hunter nin, and his skill level doesn't fit, hmmm.'

"Then why were you attacking my daughter?" he asked.

Naruto blushed before responding, "Well, uh, I was near the stream, and I guess she heard me, and uh, she thought I was a pervert".

Machi noticed 2 things, Narutos blush, and the word pervert. He nodded in understanding, "Ah, so my daughter thought you were peeping huh, understandable, she overreacts a lot. Well, so who are you then?"

Naruto hastily conferred with Kyuubi, "should I tell him?"

"**Well, he seems trustworthy, and if I'm right, he's a missing nin, a powerful one, maybe he'll train you**", Kyuubi said thoughtfully, but really, he was trying to get out of protecting Naruto.

Machi noticed the pause, "Well, who are you"

"It's a long story, maybe I we should confer elsewhere…"

"Your right, lets head to my campsite, I need to find my daughter anyway."

---In the Camp----

"Damn perverts, who do they think they are, I'll beat them to hell if they peep on me again, hmph." A mad black haired beauty was fuming, and she was also wondering if her father had killed the peeper yet when…

"So, you're a missing nin too, huh, from Konoha?, interesting."

She turned around as she heard her fathers voice, she was about to speak, when she noticed Naruto. Immediately she recognized him, and started to approach. Killer intent radiating.

Machi looked at his daughter, who had pissed off written all over her face. He cleared his throat,

"Um, Mitoko, this is the guy you THOUGHT, was peeking on you, his name is Uzumaki Naruto."

'Damn, this is that girl, she's even hotter up close, dang.'

Machi noticed his daughter approaching, he slapped his forehead, 'Uh, teenagers and their drama, why Kami, why do you hate me!!!!'

He hastily stepped in front of Naruto saying, "Uh, Mitoko, shouldn't you be going to sleep by now, I have some things to talk about with this young gentleman."

To his surprise, his daughter, known to be rebellious and dangerous, complied, and headed toward her tent. Naruto watched her leave, in a trance. Machi sighed.

"Kid, sit down" Naruto sat, eyes fixed on the spot where Mitoko had entered her tent.

Machi sighed…again.

"Kid, I want you to tell me your whole story, from your time in Konoha until now, start."

Naruto looked at Machi, and took a deep breathe, "Well, it began like this…."

----Meanwhile in Konoha-----

Tsunade was crushed; the council had voted unanimously in favor of marking Naruto a missing nin. While the Hokage had extreme power, she would not overpower the council if all were in favor. This forced her to mark Naruto, her surrogate little brother/son, a missing nin, but not just any missing nin, S class. The most dangerous type. Worst of all, former team 7, did not care. Only Kakashi was somewhat remorseful, but that vanished as soon as Sasuke had gotten out of the hospital. Kakashi had rushed over and immediately whisked Sasuke away for private training.

But Naruto's close friends, and sensei's, were crushed. Jiraiya, had left Konoha, with one final statement, "I will not return until Konoha has been righted." Very few knew what he meant. But Tsunade did, she knew, Jiraiya would not return, even if Konoha was in dire need, he would not come. He would not serve a village that one of his apprentices had died for, and one of his apprenticed sacrificed so much for.

Ichiraku Ramen, has stopped serving Kakashi, and team 7, saying they ruined their business, and that they no longer respected them.

Kiba, Rock Lee, and Hinata had barged in on the council and assaulted them, but were stopped by ANBU. They had been pardoned because they were young and foolish.

Neji and Chouji coul do nothing, they were still recovering from wounds, and the only thing they could do, was take a liking to ramen, to remember a lost friend.

Shikamaru, he was crushed, he had been in charge of the mission, and maybe if he had done, something, maybe he could have changed the outcome. He took to standing in front of memorial stone often.

And Gaara, Gaara had immediately come to Konoha, demanding to see Uzumaki Naruto. Seeing the smug faces of the council members, especially Danzo, and then being told by Danzo that Uzumaki Naruto had been declared a missing nin, he killed Danzo right on the spot, then killed any shinobi on his way out of Konoha trying to stop him.

Iruka, Naruto's surrogate father/brother, had broken down and cried when he had heard, and he vowed to get Naruto back, someway.

So hunter nins were dispatched and sent after Uzumaki Naruto to kill him.

----Back with Naruto----

Naruto had finished telling Machi the whole story, even telling him about Kyuubi, he figures that Machi was one of the best shinobi, and would've figured it out sooner or later. Machi had gone to sleep, saying

"Sleep out here, …the life of a missing nin is hard, better get used to it".

So now Naruto was sitting on a log, next to the dying fire, conversing with Kyuubi.

"So what now Kyuubi, what do we do? Wait...why the hell am I asking you?"

"..."

No response.

**"Sex"**

Naruto choked.

"Kyuubi, get your mind out of the gutter, she's beautiful, but I'm not going to take advantage of her or anything, plus, I barely even KNOW her."

**"Hey kid, suck it up, you'll get to know her EVENTUALLY. All you gotta do is stick it in and bam…you got your girl."**

"But…. I have YOU in me, she wont take a liking to me once she finds I house the Kyuubi no Kitsune"

"..."

Naruto sighed, and laid down on the ground, it was gonna be a long night.

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	3. Chapter 3

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Two Years Later…

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East Wave Country

Three figures leapt from tree to tree, silent and deadly, tracking their prey.

"This is Swordsman, the target is in sight, I'll drop back and let you guys handle it from here, got it?"

"This is Crimson, copy that."

"Tempest, copy, over."

Kazutoyo Machi dropped back into the woods and formed a seal, "_Kirigakure no Jutsu_", he whispered and a heavy mist rolled in on the surrounding area. The target, a band of mercenaries froze as the condensed water particles rolled in, obsucring their vision. Laughter echoed through the forest and a deep voice projected out from the depths of the mist.

"Heart, Lungs, Liver, Kidney, Brain, Clavicle Artery, Jugular Vein, Spine, which should I strike first?"

The screams were heard all through the forest, the sound of falling bodies and gurgles filled with blood complementing them greatly. The mist turned slightly red with blood. The targets panicked, some scattering into the mist in a desperate attempt to escape the ellusive killers. The brave and foolish remainder formed a tight circle and peered through the mist, nervously looking for any signs of their opponent.

There was a low chuckle behind them.

They didn't even turn around in time to see their killer. With one clean sweep across, their heads were seperated from their bodies, falling to the ground with barely audible thuds. They didn't even live long enough to hear the screams of their comrades who had ran away.

Slowly the heavy mist cleared, revealing the horrendous slaughter that had taken place. In the midst of the carnage stood two figures, back to back as they surveyed their work.

One was female about five nine, with black hair tied into a bun. Tight shinobi pants adorned her body, showing off her toned legs. A white halter top hugged her upper-body, exhibiting her curves for the world to see. Her left hand was in a kunai pouch, one of many that dotted the expanse of her clothing.

The male, about six foot, had a sword about five feet in length,slung over his back. The dull steel that formed the blade of the weapon was still dripping blood. His tight fitting tanktop shown off his muscles and the lower half of his face was covered in bandages. His blond hair hung over his eyes in thin streaks, allowing the shadows to play across his face. One gloved hand was gripped around a small shuiken, twirling it amidst his fingers. Camoflauge pants extended from his waist down, ending in the inky blackness of combat boots.

He stepped away from the woman as another figure dropped down.

Kazutoyo Machi looked at both of his apprentices, "Good job" he stated as he surveyed the carnage.

"Naruto, clean your blade, we gotta go get our payment". The blond nodded silently and proceeded to form handseals. Running water appeared out of thin air and splashed down his blade, taking with it the excess blood that was splattered across the surface. Taking a cloth from his pocket, he proceeded to wipe down the blade with great care.

"So how did it go, were there any surprises?" Machi asked .

His daughter Mitoko laughed, "There were more than we were told, but It didn't cause us a problem, isn't that right Naruto-kun?"

Naruto looked up and you could see the smile from beneath the bandages, "Ya, no problem at all, Mitoko-chan!"

Machi slapped his forehead in annoyance, "Dammit you two, stop fooling around, we got things to do, so hurry up." Naruto slung his blade across his back and with a nod, they disappeared.

It had been several years and Naruto had ended up staying with Kazutoyo Machi and his daughter.

Mitoko had eventually gotten over the peeping incident and had gotten to know Naruto better, planting the seeds of a friendship that quickly bloomed into love. Machi had taken Naruto in, and taught him how to survive. The ex-swordsman taught the both of them all he knew, ranging from water jutsus, swordsmanship, to silent killing, which Naruto was particularly fond of. Machi, seeing Naruto's potential in this, did the only thing he could, he got Naruto a sword. But this wasn't just any sword. This sword belonged to the last previous silent killing master, Momochi Zabuza. Machi had traveled to wave with the two of them to pick up Zabuzas sword, the Kubikiri Houcho.

During their training, Naruto had mastered the use of flames from Kyuubi and had instructed Mitoko on how to do the same after seeing her elemental affinity, in lightning. Now Mitoko produced deadly jutsu's on par with the famed Copy Nin Kakashi's _Raikiri_, and _Chidori._

Naruto mastered silent killing and the use of the sword from Machi. The three shinobi now worked for Wave in incognito now, doing missions for much needed money money. During that time, Konoha had lost all trace of Naruto and most had given up finding him ever again.

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The three shinobi entered the office of Tazuna, head of Wave Country. The old man looked up, and smiled.

"Ah, Machi, Naruto, Mitoko, finished already, that was only,….hmm…ten minutes!"

"We finish fast sir"

"Well, here's your payment, have a good day!"

They walked out of the building into the sun and watched as the bustling crowd made way for them. Ever since Gato had been eliminated Wave Country had thrived and now they hired nins to do jobs. Kazutoyo Machi sighed and looked over at his two apprentices, "Well, I'm going to the bar, you two do anything you want, just don't get started too soon, I don't want grandkids yet, see ya." With a wink he disappeared into a puff of mist. Mitoko blushed as she heard this and her blush intensified as Naruto slipped his hands around her waist.

He put his mouth near her ear and whispered, "So what now, he said he didn't want grandkids YET" This sent a shiver down her spine and sense of longing well up in her. She leant back into Naruto's arms, as he put his head on hers.

"Well, I say we head back to the house and get a nice dinner and maybe have some fun…" Naruto grinned

"Sure, why not?" And with that they poofed away.

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Naruto awoke as he heard the sound of stumbling and staggering in the kitchen. Glancing down at the sleeping Mitoko he got up and walked into the kitchen, where he found Kazutoyo Machi, drunk and delirious. He sighed as the ex Mist nin passed out, banging his head on the counter on his way to the floor. Sighing he picked up the swordman and trudged through the house, placing Machi onto the couch. He walked back into the kitchen and began to fix a small and simple breakfast. As he ate he pondered, 'Everyone's sleeping, so I'll just get a solo mission in, ya that's good'

Naruto walked into his room,careful not to wake Mitoko, slipped on his shinobi gear, grabbed Kubikiri Houcho and slipped out the window.

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"Naruto what brings you here by yourself?'

"Solo mission old man, what you got?"

"Well there are some missing nin camped outside the bridge area, if you want they're all yours……"

"Thanks old man, I'm on it."

The figure of Naruto slowly faded out of sight. Tazuna shook his head, muttering to himself.

"Huh, youngsters, always on the move."

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Naruto walked calmly onto the pavement of the bridge, his senses already picking up the nin on the other side of the bridge. Their chakra signatures were faint but he could detect it. Naruto reached the other side of the bridge and reached out with his sense and felt the nins closing in around him. He stepped to the side as a hail of shuriken hit the dirt. Calmly he stood there and again a hail of shuriken and kunai flew toward him, he couldn't dodge and his eyes widened in shock as he was impaled by the projectiles. Four figures jumped out of the trees and voices rang out:

"Huh that was the man they sent after us, he sucked, looked like he couldn't beat a genin!"

"Oh really?"

The four figures were in a half turn when they were all killed by a quick swipe from Kubikiri.

"Huh, overconfident nins, you know you can come out now, I know you're there."

A shinobi materialized near a tree, casually leaning against the trunk. The man was five ten, a long silver bandanna hanging over his eyes. His white long sleeved shirt was frayed around the edges and the pants he wore were stiff with starch.

"Pretty good kid, I saw how you beat those four but can you handle me?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "And who might you be?"

"Kenji Rokuheita."

Naruto's eyes widened as he heard the name. He tried to block the man but he was blasted back by an invisible force. He was thrown back and he landed against a tree, with a poof, it was revealed that it was a _Kage Bunshin_.

Rokuheita appeared in the middle of the path.

"Not bad kid, not bad, why don't you come out and fight?"

Naruto appeared in front of Rokuheita and went for a diagonal slash. Kenji just simply raised his hand and with an invisible force, stopping Naruto's attack completely. Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as Kenji disappeared and reappeared landing a blow to Naruto's stomach. Naruto was sent flying back as his blade clattered away.

'Shit.'

'This guy is way beyond my league...'

He got up, stumbling slightly and placed himself in the _Ho No Mai_ stance, awaiting Rokuheita to attack. Kenji just grinned as he formed seals,

"_Katon: Karyuu Endan no Jutsu!"_

But to his surprise, Naruto raised his hand and simply waved it and the fire dragon was sent barreling back to Kenji. Naruto then formed handseals and whispered,

"_Suiton: Bakusai Shoha_"

Rokuheita stared as he witnessed the two jutsu's come straight toward him. He just blinked and disappeared, appearing right in front of Naruto, laying him out. The blonde was sent flying back.

'Damn this guy is too fast for me, I can't keep up, Kyuubi, lend me some of your chakra!'

'**Fuck'**

Naruto took Kyuubi's chakra and channeled it to his legs; he then righted himself in mid-air and dashed toward the unsuspecting Kenji. He savored the expression of shock on Kenji's face as he was pummeled into the underbrush. Naruto settled into the _Ho No Mai_, as Kenji attacked. Naruto channeled chakra to his palms, and around his body as he faced off against Rokuheita. They exchanged blow after blow, neither seeming to get the upper hand.

'Hmm, this kid is skilled. I've never seen this style of fighting before, if I hadn't been shielding myself with chakra I would've fried by now, time to step it up a notch.'

Kenji leapt away from Naruto and raised his hands, sending an invisible pulse out. Naruto did the same and formed chakra around his hands, slamming them into the ground, sending purple flames across the dirt. The two forces met and a blinding flash engulfed the field.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Mitoko had awoken to find her father with a major hangover, popping painkillers in the kitchen. She had immediately asked him about Naruto but he had just responded by saying,

"Too...hung over…don't...remember"

Then she had immediately gotten dressed and dragged him all the way to Tazunas office, where she thought Naruto would be.

"Tazuna-san, where is Naruto?"

The old man looked up, his glasses hanging off his nose in a precarious position.

"Oh, he left already to do a solo mission."

Mitoko eyes widened, "But he shouldn't be doing those, I mean, he should have some kind of backup!"

"Oh he'll be alright, if he performed like he did in the last mission, he'll do great", Machi stated.

Mitoko glared at her father, and dragged him out of the building, "We have to find Naruto."

Machi groaned and pouted, "But my painkillers…"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Naruto was forced back, this man was way beyond his league and he could stop any attack Naruto sent at him just by raising his hands. Naruto was sure if he kep absorbing and using Kyuubi's chakra he would win but with him being so close to Konoha's borders, he couldn't risk it. But now it looked as if he had no choice. Naruto rolled onto his feet and split blood out of his mouth. He formed the handseals for _Kage Bunshin_ and thirty appeared around him. He sent them to attack while he thought up a plan. He had to retrieve Kubikiri Houcho, which was his only hope. He made a mad dash toward it, only to be pinned to the ground by kunai and shuriken. Naruto groaned, rolling onto his side as he clutched his bloody arm.

"Well it looks like this is the end, you put up a good fight kid, time's up though." Rokuheita raised his hands into a seal,

"_Raiton: DaiHekireki no Jutsu_"

A splitting sensation coursed through Naruto's head as he watched the lightning bolt travel toward him. The pain coursed through him, and he thrust his hands out. This was the end.

"Naruto!"

Naruto jolted, 'That was Mitoko, its too late now, I'm dead.'

He opened his eyes for a split instant to see an amazing sight. His outstretched hands, had manipulated some black sand, stopping the lightning bolt and pinning Rokuheita to a tree. He heard four words before blacking out.

"_Satetsu_, the Iron Sand"

Machi, and Rokuheita's eyes widened. _Satetsu_ was supposed to be eradicated, how the hell did Naruto of all people have access to this ability?

But Mitoko, her thoughts were set on something else. Radiating killer intent, she charged chakra into her hand,

"You are going to pay! _Aka: Raikiri Raishin!_"

Kenji's eyes widened, _Raikiri_, the famed Copy Nin of Konoha's signature move, how did she know it?

Machi watched silently and slowly stuck his hand in the path of his daughter. He shook his head slightly.

"No I know this man and it's been a long time hasn't it Kenji Rokuheita?"

Rokuheita squinted at the two figures and then his face broke into a smile,

"Machi is that you, it's been forever, about, uh five years!"

Machi meanwhile had unsheathed his swords and was approaching the pinned down Kenji.

"Yo, uh Machi, what are you doing? You're not gonna kill me are you?" Kenji stuttered.

Machi, lifted his sword to Kenji's neck and growled, "Tell me why you were attacking my apprentice and maybe I'll let you leave, old friend."

"Attacking? Oh shit I didn't know he was your apprentice! I was with the other four Nin he killed and I assumed he was going to kill me! I swear, I swear! I thought hell, why don't I attack first?"

Machi looked over to his daughter and motioned for her to go wake Naruto up. As she walked off, he turned his gaze back to Kenji, and raised his swords over his head. They glowed a bright blue and hummed. The pinned down missing nin blanched.

'Oh shit, oh shit, I can't get away.'

Kazutoyo brought his blades down in one broad stroke, severing the sand that bound Kenji. Rokuheita blinked in surprise as Machi sheathed his swords and stuck a hand out to him. Kenji grasped it and was pulled up.

"You'll be traveling with us now, its been a long time since we worked together and plus there's more safety in numbers. But first, I need to ask Naruto about the…ability he showed earlier"

Kenji glanced at the other side of the path, where Naruto was being wakened.

"Yeah... The Iron Sand...what a dangerous ability. It was supposed have died out with the Third Kazekage, who was the only know user...it is very interesting... But, I have another question, your daughter, how does she know _Raikiri_?"

Machi chuckled, "Well my apprentice, Uzumaki Naruto, learned to master fire and with the same principles he used, he taught my daughter how to control lightning. Now without any hand seals, she can recreate any known lightning jutsu."

Rokuheita's eyes widened in surprise, "Powerful, powerful indeed". The two missing nin watched as Naruto and Mitoko approached them.

Naruto glared at Kenji, pulling Kubikiri from the dirt, he swung it a Kenji's face. Kenji eyes widened, not expecting an attack, he had left he guard down. Naruto's blade was halted by Machi's twin katanas. Naruto looked to Machi in surprise.

"Why are you stopping me? Isn't he an enemy?"

Machi sighed and closed his eyes,

"He is now going to traveling with us, settle your differences now, I don't want bickering." He sheathed his katanas and walked away, Kenji following in his wake.

"What's up with him?" Naruto asked, slinging Kubikiri Houcho over his shoulder.

"He still has a hangover and I didn't let him get his painkillers." Mitoko stated, looping her arm around Naruto's.

Naruto chuckled, and the two proceeded to walk after Machi, their feet kicking up small circles of dust.

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	4. Chapter 4

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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Three Years Later…

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Unknown location near Sea Country

A man, with white bandages, and toothpick in his mouth, walked into a clearing. He was tanned and his clothes torn from constant travel. The only thing not tarnished was his spotless bandage around his lower face. His vest had a long gash down the side, and his pants were burnt. His shoes were worn, and ripped. He sighed and looked around, muttering two words,

"Shinobi Shinigamis"

He waited and leant on his sword, sticking the five-foot blade in the ground. Silence reigned for a minute, and then three figures appeared beside him, hoods up, and cloaks billowing. He began to walk and they fell in step with him. After a moment, the tallest figure broke the silence,

"What did you find out?"

The figures stopped and waited form their companion to respond. The man, slung his sword over his shoulder and sighed,

"Our group has been labeled a S-Class criminal organization, for our 'insane strength', and the insane amount of missions we complete", he stated with a grin.

One of the figures pulled down his hood, and sighed in frustration. His silver bandanna gleamed in the light.

"Dammit, now were going to have MORE high level shinobis comin after us, and more villages demanding our skills."

The shortest figure pulled down her hood as well, and smacked the other on the head.

"BAKA, that just means more money, and experience!"

The last figure with a hood on looked up at the sky, sliding it off. He sighed and looked at Naruto who was still leaning on the huge blade.

"What else did you find out?"

Naruto's eyes darkened, "They know more about us than they should, too much, I think they're getting their information from a high class intelligence."

Kenji nodded thoughtfully, "You mean like Akatsuki?"

"Maybe, could even be Orochimaru, he's been keeping tabs on us."

Machi's head snapped up, "Do they know our identities?"

Naruto shook his head, "No that was the first thing I confirmed, our identities are unknown, but we are labeled as a dangerous group known as the Shinigamis, to be avoided at all cost."

"So Cloud knows a lot about us huh, well then well just have to cover our tracks better", Mitoko.

Machi nodded in agreement, "Ya but well have to avoid Akatsuki, the power we gain the more tempted they will be to eliminate us, if they're not to occupied with the Bijuu."

"We can't forget Orochimaru, if he knows a lot about us, he'll know the traits we have, and will try to get his hands on them, and I don't think he's happy about us killing off his ninjas." Mitoko remarked.

Naruto looked down at his clothes and sighed. Looking back up he questioned, "Do you happen to have an extra cloak, as you can see my clothes are a bit…ripped."

Machi chuckled and pulled a cloak out of the inside of his, "Put this on, we'll be heading back to the town." Naruto slipped on the cloak, and nodded to the others. They teleported away.

-----In Konoha------

Tsunade looked out the window, at the village. She sighed; everything was so different since Naruto had left. Nothing had been heard of him, as far as they knew, he could be dead, and probably was. Jiraiya had disappeared, and had faded into the world. Now she had no one left. There was a knock on the door. Shizune walked in.

"Hokage-sama, the shinobi you requested are here, ready to receive their mission."

Tsunade nodded, "Send them in".

A moment later, Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura walked in along with Kiba and Rock Lee. Tsunade looked at all of them. Kakashi was the same, nose still buried in that perverted novel of his. Sasuke stood at five ten still with that infamous Uchiha smirk. Sakura had turned into a pretty young woman, but she still had her obsession with Sasuke. Rock Lee had turned into a virtual clone of Gai, and was even better at Taijustu. Kiba stood at Sasuke's height, and his dog Akamaru had grown substantially. Tsunade leant back in her chair, and spoke to the assembled chuunin and one jounin.

"There has been a mission request from Tea Country, there has been sightings of a group of shinobi throughout the country, that are rumored to be the Shinobi Shinigamis. Tea Country wants us to investigate into this organization, and possibly detain them. They say it makes the country feel unsafe."

Sasuke had a maniacal grin plastered on his face, 'Finally strong opponents, I'll be able to continue my path of Avenger, and kill Itachi.'

Kakashi for once put away his book, and looked up, "THE Shinobi Shinigamis, the four ninjas that have slaughtered countless nins that got in their was, the majority nuke nin, the ninjas that have just recently been declared S class criminals. Hokage-sama, are you sure we can handle this?"

Tsunade sighed, "Kakashi I don't want you to engage, I want you to INVESTIGATE, just to look into this group."

"YOSH, WE WILL INVESTIGATE THIS GROUP HOKAGE-SAMA, WITH THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH!" Rock Lee shouted, almost breaking everyone's eardrums.

"Whatever just get out" said Tsunade.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Sea Country

Naruto walked past the guards, who saluted. He continued walking through the building, through hallways and doors. He finally reached a solid oak door, and knocked three times. He waited a moment and the door opened. A old man, stared out the door at him then turned around,

"Come in Naruto-sama, I have been expecting this visit". He walked into the luxurious room. Leather couches dotted the room and a large Mahogany desk was place in the corner of the room.

Naruto sank into a leather chair, and sighed, "So how's the company going?" he questioned. The old man sat behind the desk, and rummaged through a drawer, pulling out a folder.

"Well with the funds you put up, we have established shipping lanes, with Tea Country, Nagi and Ouzu Island, Wave Country, and Snow Country. If you wish, I can send envoys to Sand and Water country."

Naruto shook his head, "No I don't want trade with Sand, and Water wouldn't want to associate, Watanabe-san."

Watanabe nodded, and pulled a paper from his folder, and slid it onto the desk,

"Sign this, and it will make the monopolization of the sea trade to the countries mentioned official, under the Kyu Uzu corp., all you have to do is keep supplying funds."

Naruto nodded and the utility belt around his waist made a series of popping sounds. The pouches strapped to them were oozing out black sand. Raising his hand he sent a hand of sand to grasp the pen and sign the document. With his real hand, he went into his pocket and pulled out a roll of bills.

"This should cover the next year or so", he stated tossing the money into Watanabe's hands. Watanabe nodded and put the money in a strong box. The sand retreating into the utility belt, Naruto walked out the door calling back,

"Good day Watanabe-san"

Watanabe sighed and said, "Good day Naruto-sama"

Strolling through the doors, Naruto nodded to the guards, he walked down the street awhile and met up with Kazutoyo Machi.

"It's finalized, I now have monopolization over the trading routes"

Machi grunted, and began to walk down the street, with Naruto falling into step.

"We have word of increasing probes by shinobis near our hideout in Tea Country, I've already sent Mitoko and Kenji into Tea, to secure our area."

Naruto nodded, "When do we leave?"

"Now"

The two men walked down the street, and turned, heading for the docks.

------Three weeks later-----

Naruto hands wrapped around Mitoko, catching her by surprise. Tilting her head, he sucked on her neck, making her moan. He lifted his head and whispered in her ear,

"Sorry were late"

Machi sighed as he appeared behind Naruto,

"HEY, you two lovebirds, we got a job to do, incase you didn't remember".

Mitoko jumped in surprise, and Naruto had a pout on his face.

"We got to meet up with Kenji at the base, make sure it's secure, can't have hunter nins snooping around now can we?" Machi remarked

The two lovers blushed and jumped to their feet. Machi smirked, and they sprinted away.

------With Kenji------

He sat in silence, awaiting his comrades, he felt a faint presence, but dismissed it. Then he felt cold steel touch his neck. His eyes widened as his throat was slit.

Sasuke Uchiha's smirk turned into a scowl, as the body turned to water. Kenji appeared in the tree above him blasting away Sasuke with Force, before leaping away. A moment after a hail a shuriken, and a Katon: Karyuu Endan, struck his position. He looked over his shoulder and saw Rock Lee, and Kakashi Hatake.

'Shit' he thought

------With Naruto------

'Kit, there are powerful chakra signatures near your friend many are recognizable. There are a couple heading this way." Kuubi stated

Naruto halted, and whispered urgently,

"Enemies, heading our way, they've already attacked Kenji"

Machi's grimaced, "How many"

His question was answered as two figures jumped down from the trees. One had pink hair, and the other was riding a large dog. Naruto inwardly growled,

'Kiba, and that pink haired bitch.'

Machi sensed Naruto's displeasure with the two. Stepping forward, he unsheathed his Katanas, as the their opponents stepped back,

"You two, go, I'll handle these two, I'm more than enough for them"

Naruto and Mitoko nodded and started to run off. Kiba moved to intercept them, but was knocked back by a spinning kick. Kiba hit the dirt with a thud, as Sakura gasped,

'I didn't even see him move!'

Machi's blades glowed a light blue, as he spoke,

"Your fight's with me, I'm more than enough for you."

Sakura gulped.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Kenji panted for air as he dodged a string of attacks. If he weren't conserving energy, he would be gone. Raising his hand he sent a pulse streaming after Rock Lee, leaving himself open for attack. Kakashi seeing the opportunity, started forming handseals, but stopped as a deep voice rumbled,

"_Kirigakure no Jutsu_", and a heavy mist rolled in, separating him from his comrades.

"Heart, Lungs, Liver, Kidney, Brain, Clavicle Artery, Jugular Vein, Spine, which should I strike first?"

Kakashi froze, and whispered, "Zabuza?"

The voice laughed, "No, but close"

Kakashi was forced to dodge as a giant sword was sent flying threw the air. He grimaced, this was not good, he didn't even know whom he was fighting, it was like a re-incarnate of Zabuza, but better. Pulling up his headband, he pulled a kunai from his holster, and moved to block the strike he felt, but to his surprise, there was no strike, and he felt a blade bite into his side. He grimaced, and leapt away. His opponent must have been moving at extremely fast pace to fool the sharingan, especially his. His opponent was indeed skilled. He dodged out of the way as he heard,

"_Suiton: Suiryudan_", but he didn't hear the muffled _Bakusai Shoha_ after.

The water dragon crashed into his previous spot, but he was hit full force by the second jutsu. Yup, his opponent was skilled.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Sasuke grunted as he was forced back by a kick to the chest. He crouched on the ground as Lee jumped down beside him, eyeing the figures in front of him.

Kenji leant against the tree, and panted, looking to the figure next to him,

"What took you so long?"

"We had some trouble"

Kenji nodded.

"Where the others?"

"Taking care of their", she gestures to the 2 shinobi infront of her "friends, they should be finished soon."

Sasuke scoffed, "None of your comrades could beat Sharingan Kakashi, he's too strong".

Kenji spoke, "Well this looks like your battle Mitoko, I'll take the other one"

Mitoko just shrugged and began to charge chakra into her hands, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, when you see Sharingan Kakashi, tell him someone's re-created his "signature" technique, and made it better". She finished gathering chakra and spoke the name of her justu

" _Aka: Raikiri_"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Machi slammed Kiba into the ground, and kicked Sakura into a tree. Life was good. Kiba picked himself up, and called Akamaru over, but found that he wasn't anywhere in sight. Machi chuckled, and pointed to a nearby tree, where Akamaru was slumped over unconscious. Kiba, blind with rage, yelled "_Gatsugaa_" and charged at Machi. Machi just raised his blade and called out,

"_Hyoton: Haryu Moko_"

The jutsu blasted into Kiba knocking him through four trees. Machi turned and slammed his blade into the shoulder of the charging Sakura. He watched the surprised expression on her face. Blood squirted. Calmly he withdrew the blade and watched the weak girl slump to the ground. He turned and watched as Kiba tried another "_Gatsugaa_".

He waited until the last moment and appeared behind Kiba, and swung his blades, biting deep into his skin. He then jammed his blades into the ground, as Kiba stood shocked, and kicked him into a tree, He grinned in satisfaction as he watched Kiba hit, his grin widened, as he surveyed the girl. He had caused plenty of damage for Naruto. With one last look, he headed thru the trees to find his comrades.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Kakashi was getting beat. His opponent was far beyond his league. He grabbed his bleeding shoulder, and watched as the mist cleared.

'Finally', he thought, 'I can get a good look at my opponent.

The mist finally cleared and he saw his opponent. A tall man with a huge sword, bandages covering his lower jaw, the splitting image of Zabuza. He began to charge chakra into his hand, and charged at the figure. He watched as the man, sheathed his sword and held up his hand. He then spoke a word Kakashi would never forget,

"_Satetsu_"

Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise as he was stopped in his tracks. He felt the sand clutch his hands, and neck, holding him in place. The figure walked up to Kakashi and looked him in the eyes. Those icy blue eyes, made Kakashi shiver. Memories of a past student surfaced.

The figure drew the blade from its sheath. Kakashi grimaced,

'Shit, this is the end'.

The figure then drew the blade back, an faster than Kakashi could see, slammed the flat of the blade into Kakashi's face, breaking his jaw, and sending him backwards.

Naruto sheathed his blade, and looked away. He casually began to stroll toward the fighting chakra signatures.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

_Aka: Raikiri_ met _Chidori_, in a clash of raw power. Sasuke fought to gain control of the situation. He pumped more chakra into his attack, and stuggled to fight back, with both hands. He looked over at the girl, who was casually using her right hand against his _Chidori_. He felt his chakra began to drain, and saw it travel to her other hand. She then began to form another attack and raised it against the Uchiha.

'Shit' he thought.

Then she thrust the attack against his sending him flying back with a scar across his whole front chest, blood squirting and flesh burning.

Sasuke slammed into a boulder. He slightly opened his eyes, to see the girl standing over him. His last thought before he was knocked unconscious was,

'This…this…girl beat me, me the great last Uchiha.'

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Rock Lee lay on the ground, with three broken ribs. He was barely conscious and had opened four gates. The person he had fought moved faster than him with six gates opened, and combined with experience he couldn't beat him. He sunk into unconscious bliss, as he watched the figure walk away.

Kenji Rokuheita sighed in disgust. Konoha Shinobi sucked.

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The foue Shinigami's met in a clearing. Incoming chakra signatures were sensed and they quickly fled. Not a word was said. Ten minutes later, backup Konoha shinobi arrived at the scene to see three severely wounded Chuunin's, a mauled Uchiha survivor, and a critically injured Jounin. The Jounin, the only one conscious at the time, spoke two words,

" Shinobi Shinigamis"

From that moment on the Shinobi Shinigamis were moved onto SS ranked criminals, people to avoid on rumor. Not many had made fools of Copy Nin Kakashi.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Kakashi lay in his hospital bed, pondering on the mysterious character he had fought, that had used _Satetsu_. He had yet to report to Tsunade, and speaking of her, she said she was coming in about….

The door opened, and a busty blond walked in. Tsunade walked over to Kakashi and pulled up a chair.

"Kakashi, I've talked to the other members of the team, and I have some important news to tell you, but first, tell me your story, how did you get this", she said, gesturing with her hands.

Kakashi close his eyes and began to tell the tale of their attack.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The four shinobi arrived at the docks of an old fishing port. Quickly heading to one of the closed buildings, they entered. Inside were a massive dock, and a ship. Once inside they approached their ship, and climbed up the ramp onboard. The tallest figure nodded to the crew, and they cast off the lines, and set out, toward a secluded location near Sea Country.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Kakashi had just finished telling Tsunade of his fight. His jaw throbbed but he continued.

"The man was just like Zabuza, but with blond hair, and blue eyes, it almost looked like,….Naruto", he whispered.

"What about Naruto, Kakashi, was it Naruto?" Tsunade asked desperately.

Kakashi thought back to the fight, there was no sign of Kyuubi chakra, and sure Naruto would have become stronger and taller, but strong enough to beat Kakashi?

"No it was not Naruto, this person to my surprise used the _Satetsu_, the Iron Sand

Tsunade's eyes widened,

"The Iron Sand, the ability that the Third Kazekage used?"

"Yes the very same, he used it to hold me in place, stop my Raikiri, and then break my jaw with Zabuza's sword."

Tsunade frowned,

"Then you easily could've been killed"

"Yes, and that makes me wonder, why we all weren't killed. The Shinobi Shinigami's were known to be ruthless."

Tsunade frowned again.

"Well, Kakashi I interviewed your team, and Sasuke had some interesting things to say."

Kakashi perked up.

"He said that the girl he fought was able to perfectly replicate the _Raikiri_, and drain power from his _Chidori_.

Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise

"That's impossible, that's a signature move, that can only be performed safely with the Sharingan!!!!!"

Tsunade sighed, "He also said that the lightning that appeared was red, and when she drained his _Chidori_, she channeled the chakra to her other hand and hit him across the chest with a low powered _Raikiri_."

If possible Kakashi's eyes widened even more. He looked down, wondering about all that had happened. Tsunade got up, and walked toward the door,

"I'll leave you to ponder, I'm going to check on the other patients."

Kakashi just nodded as she walked out. How could someone have such mastery of an element, and be able to produce jutsu's based on rumors. He closed his eyes and sighed. It was indeed bad.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

----With Naruto----

Naruto sat in his cabin of the ship. He pondered on his encounter with his old sen…no he couldn't say that. Kakashi had not taught him anything. He pondered on his encounter with Kakashi. Severely beating the Jounin had made him feel good. Knowing that he had not gone full strength and used his more deadly techniques, and not unleashing the full power of the Iron Sand, made his victory over Kakashi even sweeter. And on top of that, his comrades had mauled those other shinobi. Of course they could have killed them individually, quickly and efficiently. But Naruto had told them not to, it was more about…humiliation.

Days and days of pondering about his life in Konoha had left him with animosity toward his previous home. It had left him with hatred for everyone. He remembered the constant beating, the way he was shunned, the favoritism.

Everything.

He hated it. He wanted to erase his past. He wanted to forget everything that had happened to him.

But team seven just brought all the memories back.

Kakashi

Sasuke

Sakura

And the loner

Naruto

Without any real friend, no parents.

Nothing.

All he had was Iruka and the Sandaime.

Sandaime was dead.

Iruka never had a lot of time.

So most of his life Naruto was alone, training, or doing something in solitude. He couldn't do anything in public. He was hated beyond imagination. And every time he thought back to Konoha, he remembered the pain. Team 7…yeah right.

Naruto could have killed them all single handedly, with one precise Satetsu: Nadare, but he wanted the satisfaction of them knowing that his group was stronger.

He wanted to see the pain flash on their eyes, and the agony on their faces. He wanted blood. It was a side effect of hanging around with the Kyuubi. Bloodlust rubbed off.

He could have killed them.

But he wanted them to know. To know about the Iron Sand.

And about his heritage.

-----Flash Back-----

_**They had traveled onto the border of sand country, tracking a mercenary group. The groups had split, and went separate ways to cover more ground, each going a separate way. It was during this Kyuubi had spoken to him,**_

"**_Human, we are in sand country, I am sure that there were some comrades to the Sandaime Kazekage, that knew how he used Satetsu. Maybe you should try to find a comrade of his, and ask for tutoring."_**

"_**Hmm, that's true, but I need to know how I got the Iron Sand too, I mean, maybe then I'll find out who my parents are."**_

_**Kyuubi pondered this and then spoke, "Maybe if you find a comrade of the Sandaime, he will also know if you are related, when you passed the last village, I remember someone saying something about an old man, who lived on the outskirts of the desert, who personally knew the Sandaime, maybe if you search you could find him".**_

_**Naruto scanned the vast desert,…and sweatdropped. **_

"_**Easier said than done Kyuubi"**_

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	5. Chapter 5

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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FLASH BACK CONTINUES 

_**Naruto stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down upon the small town. After fruitless searches, and misleads, he had picked up a hint.**_

_**Mercenaries attacked a merchant that had been traveling by. Coincidentally these mercenaries were the same Naruto and co. had been assigned to kill. Quickly disposing of the thugs, he helped the merchant up. Questioning the merchant, Naruto had quickly learned of the merchant's routes. Naruto had asked about comrades of the Sandaime Kazekage. The merchant had told him of a complex on the edge of the desert, where an old man lived. Naruto had thanked him, and quickly went on his way. **_

_**Naruto met up with Kazutoyo, and informed him of his plan. He wanted to do this alone. Machi was a bit uncertain, but had agreed, and they went their separate ways.**_

_**Now he stood, looking past the small town to the huge complex in the distance. Charging chakra to his feet, he stuck to the cliff, and slid down. He hit the ground without a sound. Brushing the dirt of his clothes, he tightened the sword on his back, and sped of toward the complex, not noticing the 2 figures following him.**_

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"_**Is that him?", the first figure aske, from under the brim of his hat.**_

"_**Yes it matches the description, he's even foolish enough to wear his sword. Easy identification, he cocky." Replied the taller figure, flashing his shark like teeth.**_

_**The shorter figure stood up, and began to walk away. "We better hurry if we want to follow him."**_

_**The taller figure nodded, and followed after him, his cloak billowing in the wind.**_

'_**Soon,' he thought, unconsciously reaching for the massive sword on his back, 'Soon, we will see if you live up to those men's names, Zabuza….Machi……..'**_

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_**Naruto reached the outskirts of the complex. He stopped in front of the massive gates that formed the entrance to the courtyard. Slowly walking toward the gate, he watched, amazed as it opened without a sound. **_

"_**Could it be motion sensing?", he questioned aloud. He froze as he felt cold steel pressed against his neck. He raised his hands in the international sign for, 'Look no weapons'**_

_**The figure behind him spoke, "Yes it is motion sensing, now, who are you, and what do you want,…" He tightened his grip on Naruto.**_

"_**I'm looking for a comrade of the Sandaime Kazekage, in hope that he could help me."**_

_**The figure behind him tensed as the Kazekage was mentioned, but relaxed after that.**_

_**Naruto felt the release in tension, and leapt away from the figure behind him. He turned as he felt incoming shuriken. He ducked and brought his hand to his back, and drew Kubikiri Houcho. He looked at the man in front of him. **_

_**The man was in his fifty's and had short cropped gray hair. His eyes were a dark brown, but they held no warmth of the color, but only the coldness of a man who has seen too much in his life, and has killed to many. His lips were thin and pale, but his face was a dark tan, from years spent in the desert. His hands were scarred and callused. He wore sand colored pants and vest. **_

_**Naruto gripped the sword tighter. This man could sneak up on him, without a problem. If he had to fight, he would probably die. The man in front of him suddenly began to walk toward him. Naruto slid into his fighting stance, and called out,**_

"_**I'm just here for information, I just need help."**_

_**The man stopped and said back, "You still haven't told me your name." The man watched as Naruto tensed, 'Missing nin', he thought.**_

"_**Naruto, and you?"**_

'_**Interesting he kept all his information hidden, I will soon know enough' the figure eyed Naruto carefully, **_

"_**I am Hiroyuki Sanada."**_

_**Naruto relaxed his stance a bit, but still eyed Ken warily, **_

"_**I hear you were a comrade of the Sandaime Kazekage, it that true?"**_

_**Sanada looked at Naruto, 'He looks like someone familiar' he thought.**_

"_**And if I am, what will you do?" To his surprise, Naruto dropped his sword and got on his knees, and bowed. **_

"_**Please, I need your help, I need to know about the Sandaime." Sanada stood shocked, as memories flooded through his mind, ' Katsumoto, Mizumi, how?, who is this, ….'**_

_**Naruto waited nervously for the mans response. He raised his head to see Sanada frozen in place. He bowed his head again and waited.**_

'_**Why does he trigger my memories, who is this kid?" Sanada snapped out of it, and spoke the bowing Naruto. **_

"_**Come with me, I will speak to you inside, away from prying intruders". He turned and walked into the courtyard. Naruto hastily got up and followed.**_

_**The two men walked through the giant complex, heading deeper and deeper into the house. They reached double doors, and entered. Inside was a bare room, devoid of anything but a large mat in the middle. Sanada motioned to the mat, and sat down. Naruto followed suit. Sanada closed his eyes and blocked the flood of incoming memories,**_

"_**So, tell me about yourself, I already know you're a missing nin, surprised, you shouldn't be, you only gave me a first name, and wear no headband. But I will give you this, you're a very well trained missing nin, most boast about their accomplishments, and get killed". He paused, and sighed, **_

"_**You're different."**_

_**Naruto hesitated a minute and then began, **_

"_**My name, is Uzumaki Naruto, former Shinobi of Konohagakure."**_

_**Sanada's eyes widened, "Did you say Uzumaki?"**_

_**Naruto looked at him confused, "Yes, why?"**_

"_**Because it's impossible, the last Uzumaki's died years ago, and the ones that didn't disappeared, how are you an Uzumaki?"**_

_**Naruto looked the man in the eyes, "I don't know, it was the name I was born with."**_

_**Hiroyuki Sanada nodded thoughtfully, silently praying to Kami, that this was who he thought it was. **_

"_**Do you know who you're parents are?", he questioned.**_

"_**No, Konoha never told me."**_

"_**Very well then, continue"**_

_**---Outside----**_

_**Two figures stood, gazing at the complex. Night had fallen, and their faces were even more shrouded by the hats they wore. The taller of the two glanced at the other,**_

"_**Are we going in?"**_

_**The other figure paused for a moment, and spoke,**_

"_**No that would be foolish, Hiroyuki Sanada is within, he would be hard to take down, no we leave now, I have a feeling we wont be seeing him for a long time."**_

_**The taller figure nodded, and they disappeared, leaving no mark showing they were ever there.**_

_**-----With Naruto-----**_

_**Naruto had just mentioned his ability to use Iron Sand, just mentioned it, and now Sanada was shocked beyond relief.**_

"_**Come with me, I need to see if this is true" he exclaimed.**_

_**Naruto followed him out of the room into a large field, with all types of terrain. Sanada motioned to the sand pit in front of him. Naruto raised his hand, and pointed it at the sand. Small grains of black sand began to travel to Naruto's hand, and gather around it. More sand began to gather until it formed a half-inch layer around his hand. **_

_**Sanada watched as Naruto strained to hold the sand in place. 'He indeed has the ability to manipulate Iron Sand, but I'll need a blood test to confirm if it is HER son."**_

_**Sanada took a knife, and approached Naruto, "Hold still", he gashed Naruto across the arm. Naruto grunted, as his concentration was broken. Sanada quickly swiped some blood and proceeded to walk into the house. **_

"_**Where are you going?" Naruto questioned.**_

"_**None of your business, get that healed, I'll be out in a second."**_

_**Sanada walked into the house, and turned into a room in the corner. There he fed the blood sample to the machine, and scanned for the genes. The results flashed before his eyes. He sighed and called out, **_

"_**You can come out now, I know you're there."**_

_**Naruto walked into the room, and glanced at the machine. **_

"_**So what are you doing?"**_

"_**Testing your blood"**_

"_**For what"**_

"_**Family genes"**_

_**Naruto's eyes widened, but then he composed himself. "My family, who are they?"**_

"_**You are Mizumi's son"**_

_**Naruto narrowed his eyes, "You know who my mother is?"**_

_**Sanada closed his eyes, "Uzumaki Mizumi was the sister of the Sandaime Kazekage, Katsumoto. After the Kazekage, her brother, went missing she left, and headed to Konoha. Some say she had a son, sired by a man from Konoha, but it was never proven. But one day she disappeared and no one saw her after that."**_

"_**How are you connected to all this?" Naruto asked.**_

"_**I was the Kazekages teammate, and I knew every aspect of his Iron Sand techniques, and I was his closest friend. I was like the 2**__**nd**__** big brother to his sister."**_

"_**And his sister, your mother, was beautiful" (think Naruto's sexy no jutsu, just taller, more mature, more sexy, lighter blonde hair.)**_

_**Naruto asked quietly, "So, does that mean I'm related to the Third**__** Kazekage."**_

"_**Yes, and since he was like a brother to me, I am taking the responsibility of training you in the are of Satetsu, the Iron Sand. I will incorporate it into your fighting style, and you will be like the 2**__**nd**__** version of the Sandaime Kazekage, but better, with your current skills."**_

_**Naruto nodded, but quietly asked, "Can you tell me, about my mother?"**_

_**Sanada grinned, and began to walk out the door, "Sure, but you better get some sleep, your training starts tomorrow". Naruto quickly followed him out the door.**_

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_**Naruto had contacted Machi, and informed him of the situation. He wanted them to go back to Sea Country, and leave him to train. To say the least, Mitoko was pissed, she wanted HER Naruto and she wanted him with her, not a couple countries away. But with calming down from Machi, they had eventually agreed on leaving. It would be one year until he saw them again.**_

_**--------Time Skip Eleven months---------**_

_**Naruto stood in the sand pit, manipulating the grains of sand around him. They twirled and twisted, forming shapes in the sky. Sanada watched him manipulate the Iron Sand. He raised his hand and motioned him to stop. **_

"_**You have done well, you have one month left until your comrades come searching for you. But there is one thing we must accomplish before you go."**_

_**Naruto ceased manipulating, and looked at him questioningly. **_

"_**I've trained you to the best of my ability, up to the level of a Master of Iron Sand, now all you have to do is create one signature mass destruction jutsu."**_

_**Naruto clenched his hand, and watched as the Iron Sand particles grabbed a bug, and carried it toward him.**_

"_**One mass destruction jutsu, huh"**_

_**He let the bug go, and watched as it crawled away. **_

"_**Very well, give me a day, and then I'll have it."**_

_**Sanada just chuckled as he walked away,**_

"_**A day huh, we'll see if you can, the Sandaime did it in two weeks, we'll see, haha."**_

_**Naruto just turned around and began to manipulate the Iron Sand again.**_

_**-----One Day Later----**_

_**Sanada stood in the field, and watched Naruto prepare. Naruto lifted his hands and pulled the sand from the pit. Sanada's eyes widened as Naruo began to pull ALL the sand out. Naruto lifted his hands and thrust them out,**_

"_**Satetsu: Nadare"**_

_**The Iron Sand formed into a large vortex, and began to crash across the field, destroying everything in its path.**_

_**Naruto looked over to Sanada. If his jaw had been hanging any lower, it would have hit the ground.**_

"_**You, you made it in ONE day, how..how…" Sanada regained his composure, and spoke.**_

"_**Well since you finished that, we have one thing left to do."**_

_**Naruto looked up, as a figure walked into the courtyard.**_

_**Sanada walked toward the figure, "Kazutoyo Machi"**_

_**------Undisclosed Area-----**_

_**The nine were assembled. The leader was furious.**_

"_**You let HIM get away, how could you, I want ALL of you after them RIGHT NOW!"**_

_**One of the shrouded figures spoke up, "All of us can not go, we have other jobs, let them go." He gestured to the four figures to the left.**_

"_**Very well. Send the four."**_

_**The nine figures silently nodded, and disappeared.**_

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_**Kazutoyo Machi and Hiroyuki Sanada felt the chakra spikes first, and slid into fighting stances. A moment later Naruto sensed it and reached up to his back and gripped Kubikiri Houcho.**_

_**Four figures appeared outside the gates, there faces all shrouded by hats, and there bodies covered by cloaks adorned with red clouds. **_

_**The first figure was the tallest, with shark like appearances. His huge sword rested on his shoulder, covered in wrappings.**_

_**The second figure lifted his hat, revealing his black hair, and the face of a young nin. His eyes flashed red, as they revealed his trademark.**_

_**The third figure had a large scythe over his back, and was in a crouching position. His cloak was open near the chest, showing his skinny body.**_

_**The last was shrouded; masks covered his face, revealing nothing.**_

_**Sanada looked at the men. "You know these guys?" He asked his two companions.**_

"_**Yes" Machi stated as he drew his Katanas.**_

"_**They are Akatsuki", Naruto finished as he raised Kubikiri.**_

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	6. Chapter 6

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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_**The Akatsuki stood at the gateway.**_

"_**Were here for the kid, get out of the way, and you wont die" The tallest spoke. Sanada and Machi glanced at each other, wondering the same thing, why would Akatsuki want Naruto. **_

_**The tallest Akatsuki stepped forward, as Naruto slipped into a fighting stance. He chuckled, **_

"_**So the kid wants to fight huh"**_

_**Machi's eyes flashed as he heard the voice again, 'Could it be?'**_

_**The Akatsuki slipped his hat off, and revealed his grin, and his row of shark like teeth. **_

"_**Hoshigake Kisame" Machi whispered, as he clenched his hands tighter around his katanas. "Ex Mist Swordsmen, so you've fallen this low? Joining this group, and following their corrupted ambitions?"**_

_**Kisame just laughed, as the shortest Akatsuki gave signals to the rest. They immedietly fanned out and faced a seperate opponent. Kisame stepped forward, and locked eyes with Machi.**_

"_**Kakuza, make sure no one interferes in this fight, this is between the two of us."**_

_**The masked figure nodded, and then began a complex set of hand seals, before slamming his hands against the ground. A large chakra enforced barrier began to rise around the two swordsmen. Naruto slung Kubikiri over his back, and leapt toward Kakuza, trying to halt the formation of the barrier. He raised his sword as he reached Kakuza, but was halted as a punch to the gut, set him falling backwards. **_

_**Naruto looked up at the shortest Akatsuki that was standing before him. He glanced over at the barrier that was almost completed. He then glanced over at Sanada, who was engaged with the man with the scythe. **_

"_**No help, you will have to face me, to get to your master, and by then, it will be to late, for you and him." The Akatsuki then revealed his face, flashing his Sharingan beneath his black hair. **_

"_**Uchiha Itachi, signature trait the Mangekyou Sharingan, S-class nuke-nin from Konoha, charged for killing the entire Uchiha clan, except for his little brother" Naruto whispered.**_

_**Itachi's face held no emotion, "So you know about me, and my expoits, lets see how strong you are. Shall we?" Itachi began to form hand seals, and take in a deep breath. **_

"_**Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu"**_

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_**Machi looked around as the barrier finished forming. He rested his gaze on Kisame. **_

"_**Well I guess there's no holding back Kisame, I must finish you after all my friend."**_

_**Machi then began to gather large amounts of chakra. **_

"_**Who knew it would come to this, the seven swordsmen, dead, wandering, selling their services." He then pushed the chakra straight into his katanas, turning them midnight black, with a small blue hue surrounding them. Kisame drew his blade and watched as the man in front of him changed. The hair on his face that was once pitch black, turned into a faded white gray. **_

"_**Who knew that eventually, I would train a prodigy, the greatest master of silent killing, and who knew that one day, I would have to kill you, Kisame. He said as the chakra finished it's deadly dance around his blades. He raised the twin katanas as a menacing black hue of chakra surrounded him. Kisame's eyed widened as the air around Machi fizzled and froze. Never had his comrade exhibited this technique before. Machi noticed his enemy's glance. **_

"_**This is my affinity, the affinity to ice, I know, not a main element, but my body naturally converts water and wind together." Machi then thrust the twin katanas outward. Large tendrils of black chakra sped toward Kisame. Kisame quickly moved his blade up to try to block and suck the oncoming chakra in. The end result was one sided. The sheer power of the chakra had blasted Kisame, and his blade, back about twenty feet. **_

_**Kisame licked the blood of his lips. This was going to be hard. He'd have to unleash the full power of Samehada. Kisame leapt to his feet, and grabbed his sword. He raised it in the air and began to engage Machi. He thrust his massive sword straight for Machi's head. He watched as Machi raised the chakra-empowered blades to block. 'Mistake' he thought. He used one hand to maneuver the blade, while he formed seals with the other.**_

"_**Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu"**_

_**The water dragon, rushed out of thin air, and barreled straight for Machi. He had no time to react as the dragon crashed into him. The force sent him through a few trees. Blood trickled down his face. Machi landed heavily and looked up at Kisame, who was busy forming another attack. Machi raised his hands into a series of seals and two voices called out**_

"_**Hyoton: Haryu Moko!"**_

"_**Suiton: Suikodan!"**_

_**The two jutsu's met in an incredible explosion. The mist cleared, and revealed the two fighters engaged in a deadly kenjutsu fight. Their two blades flashed out chakra, black and blue. But above Kisame, there was a manifestation of a shark, of pure chakra. The manifestation thrashed around, sending chakra across the area, destroying the surroundings. Machi blocked a strike from Kisame, and reversed one of his blades, thrusting it into Kisame. Kisame turned into water, revealing it to be a Mizu Bunshin. Machi raised his blade above his head blocking Kisame. Reversing his grip, he made a wide sweep toward Kisame's legs. The shark man moved to dodge, but out of Machi's blade's streamed a large jolt of chakra (think kaze no yaiba, wind blades) slashing through Kisame's side, ripping the skin from him**_

_**He grunted as the chakra passed through him. Blood gushed from the wound, down his cloak, and onto the ground. Kisame leaned on his sword, breathing heavily. He raised his hands into a seal, and began to recite off names. **_

_**Machi felt the chakra spike, and peered at the hand seals Kisame was performing. **_

'_**Oh shit' He thought, as he raised his blades, intent on stopping him. It was too late, and a blinding flash lit the area.**_

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_**Hiroyuki Sanada cursed for perhaps the twentie**__**th**__** time in his fight. The…thing in front of him wouldn't die, no matter what he threw at it. He pulled his hand back and sections of the earth rose from the ground and into the air, forming into large spears. As he thrust his hand out, the spears followed, and landed straight into the Akatsuki. He watched as they ran him through.**_

_**Hidan just smirked for a moment, and laughed as he pulled the objects out of his chest. He pulled his scythe, as they clattered to the ground.**_

"_**I can not die". He then ran full speed at Sanada, aiming for the killing blow. **_

_**Sanada watched the oncoming man. He raised his hand, and sections of the earth burst out of the ground, making Hidan stumble. He then thrust his hand down, and the sections of earth exploded, sending pieces everywhere. **_

_**Laughter was heard, "You think you can kill me with that? I can't die!" A shadow dashed out of the explosion, heading straight for Sanada, scythe raised. Sanada raised his palm into the air, and a large barrier of earth surrounded him.**_

_**Hidan smirked, "So you stopped me from attacking, how are you going to win old man? I can't die." He then formed a series of seals, and called out,**_

"_**Doton: Doryuu Dango"**_

_**Huge boulders rose from the ground, and rolled straight for the earth wall. Hidan smirked as the wall crumbled, and dashed toward it. **_

_**Sanada just barely got away, as his wall was broken. He looked up and saw Hidan, right above him. He felt the bite of a blade, as he jumped backwards. Blood spilt across the ground. He paused to gain his breath, as Hidan stooped near his blood. Putting some in a vile, Hidan grinned maniacally.**_

"_**And now the ritual begins"**_

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_**Naruto dodged the fireballs, as he formulated a plan. 'Fighting him one on one's not going to work, he's got the Sharingan, and silent killing wont do much good now, shit, that mean I'll have to use Satetsu.' **_

_**Naruto hit the ground and began to form handseals. 'Might as well'**_

"_**Kirigakure no Jutsu" The surrounding became shrouded in mist. Itachi face remained emotionless as he called out, "Really, do you think your pathetic silent killing techniques will work on me?"**_

_**Naruto's voice echoed through the mist, "Maybe, maybe not, it's worth a try, Itachi."**_

_**Itachi's eyed flashed, as he sensed the oncoming jutsu. He formed hand seals, and whispered, "Doton: Doryu Heki" The blast of water hit the newly formed wall, and hit the ground, turning into puddles.**_

_**From his postion on the wall of the courtyard, Naruto silently cursed. Itachi's senses were superb, no fooling around here. He had to get serious quick. He fingered the utility belt Sanada had given him. With a slight move of his fingers, the pouches on the belt snapped open, and iron sand oozed out. Naruto held his hand to the sky, and whispered two words**_

"_**Satetsu Shigure" The iron sand scattered into the air, and began to drizzle down. Itachi looked up at the sky, as he felt the sand hit his cloak. 'So this is his plan huh?' He formed a seal under his cloak, and said, "Suiton: Suijin Heki". A large water barrier formed above and around him, blocking out the Satetsu. **_

"_**So you know the Kazekage's techniques? This will prove interesting" Itachi then dispelled his water barrier, and switched on his sharingan, searching for chakra signatures. He spotted, what he presumed was Naruto's, and moved toward it, but was held fast by iron sand. **_

"_**Satetsu" Iron sand began wrapping around Itachi's body and worked its way up to his head. Itachi grimaced as the iron sand began working into his skin, but smirked. **_

_**Up on the wall Naruto caught the smirk, as he heard Itachi's voice from behind him **_

"_**Bunshin Daibakuha" Then Naruto was kicked into the oncoming explosion. The blast charred his back, burning his clothes. He tried to activate his fire mastery in time but it was no use. He looked up, as Itachi hit him multiple times in the chest, sending him flying backward. He hit the wall, and coughed up blood, splattering it over the ground and onto his clothes. Itachi smirked slightly and formed seals calling out,**_

"_**Doton: Doryu Gaeshi" Naruto was slammed against the wall again, and pummeled, then lifted into the air. Itachi appeared above him, and grabbed his arm. A large crack was heard. Naruto screamed in pain, as the arm was splintered. He landed in a heap on the ground. Itachi walked over and pinned Naruto to the wall.**_

"_**So this is one of the members of the Shinobi Shinigami's huh? Pathetic. You think this is pain, let me show you REAL pain" Itachi then activated his Mangekyou Sharingan, and looked Naruto straight in the eyes. **_

"_**Tsukiyomi" He whispered, and Naruto was sent into the world of Tsukiyomi, Itachi's world. **_

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_**Kisame panted heavily, and watched, as his opponent was beat around by the largest pair of water dragons the world had seen. Bones broke and blood spilt, as Machi was cracked back and forth. It had been a long time since he used this technique. He watched as Machi slowly slumped to the ground. He picked up one of Machi's fallen katana's and walked over to him. Lifting Machi's head, he thrust the katana into Machi's chest. He smirked as blood squirted around, and Machi hit the ground.**_

_**Kisame wheezed as he began to walk away, to signal Kakuza to lower the barrier. He froze, as he felt a blast of chakra immerge from the prone form of Machi. He turned, and stared wide eyed, as Machi stood up, and pulled the katana from his chest. Machi then flexed his arm, and snapped the bones back in place in his other. He glared at Kisame, and cracked his neck, sliding into a stance.**_

"_**I see you haven't been idle Kisame, that was a powerful jutsu, got any more?" But inwardly Machi was worried. I can't take very many more like that. This chakra will fade soon, and then I'll have to resort to using barely any.**_

_**To say Kisame was shocked was an understatement. Machi had just survived one of his most powerful techniques, and got up like nothing had happened. His eye twitched in anger, as blue chakra formed around his, in the shape of a shark. 'This is the last of THAT chakra, if I don't finish it now, it might be over.**_

_**He called out to Machi, "How about one more attack decides all, winner steps away from this".**_

_**Machi pondered for a minute, and nodded, and rapidly began forming handseal, pouring the last of his chakra into this attack, while Kisame did the same. Two voiced rang out.**_

"_**Hyoton: Kokuryubo Rusetsu!"**_

"_**Suiton: Goshukuzame!"**_

_**The two jutsu met in an explosion, each vying for an advantage, and then they disappeared, leaving two swordsmen facing each other, their chakra sparking for a minute, and then, they collapsed. **_

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_**Sanada watched as Hidan performed his jutsu. "Now old man, we are one in the same, prepare to die!" Hidan turned into a black and white version of himself, showing his bones.**_

"_**Let me give you a demonstration" He took his scythe and plunged it into his leg. Sanada felt searing pain go through his leg, and he fell to the ground. Hidan then thrust the scythe into his stomach, and watched as the old man, cried out in pain.**_

"_**Oops did I accidentally pierce the stomach?" He then raised his scythe for the finalizing blow, but was stopped as sand began to wind its way up his body, and hold his arms in place. The calm voice of a seasoned killer rang out,**_

"_**Sabaku Kyuu" **_

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_**Naruto found himself in the world of Tsukiyomi. Itach appeared in front of him, and smirked.**_

"_**For the next seventy two hours you will be stabbed repeatedly through the heart. Swords appeared and began to run Naruto through. As they were about to pierce the skin, they stopped, and a voice boomed through Naruto's mindscape. **_

"_**You pathetic human, you think that will work on us!" A huge manifestation appeared infront of Itach. It was Kyuubi. Itachi stepped back, eyes wide, as he surveyed Kyuubi.**_

"_**If you are Kyuubi, then this must be…Naruto" **_

_**Kyuubi roared as he forcefully expelled Itachi with his chakra. **_

_**Itachi collapsed on the ground, as he pondered this turn of events. 'So this is Naruto, we must inform the leader of this, it could alter our plans'. He got up as Kakuza appeared near him with Kisame slung over his shoulder. Itachi glanced over as he felt an incoming chakra signature.**_

"_**We leave now" Kakuza looked up in surprise**_

"_**What about Hidan?"**_

"_**He'll get away" Itachi responded. Kakuza nodded and they disappeared, and moments later a blond kunoichi entered the scene, and immedietly saw the injured Naruto. She rushed over to him, and cradled him, crying, **_

"_**It's okay, I got you…don't die…please…Naruto…"**_

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	7. Chapter 7

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Extended Flashback/Past Events ends this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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_**The sound of sobbing wakened him. A steady sniffling, and the occasional, "No, please". He groaned as he opened his eyes, and the bright light flashed across his vision. There was a startled yelp, followed by**_

"_**Oh Naruto, your awake, Gaara, he's awake!"**_

_**Then Naruto was engulfed in a hug, by the sand's desert rose, Sabaku No Temari. He coughed as Temari's grip on him tightened.**_

"_**Careful Temari, you might kill him", spoke Gaara from the entrance to the sickbed. Temari blushed as she let go of Naruto. Slowly moving his gaze from his sister, he settled his eyes on, perhaps the only person that had ever understood him, Naruto Uzumaki. **_

"_**So Uzumaki-san, how has life been treating you? We have much to talk about, us and your comrades." Naruto's eyes widened as he thought back to Machi and Sanada. He began to rise out of bed.**_

"_**Relax, Naruto…your teacher suffered from very few major injuries, except a major case of chakra exhaustion and a few pierces through the chest, he should be fine though. The old man suffered no extensive damage, I managed to prevent that."**_

_**Naruto sighed, as he lay back down on the white sheets of the sickbed cot. His comrades were okay, and that was all that mattered. He slowly fell back into sleep, and out of conscious. **_

_**Sabaku No Gaara, watched as Uzumaki Naruto fell back against the bed. Turning to walk out the door, he called back to Temari, **_

"_**Don't do anything to him in his sleep now…" With a swirl of sand he disappeared, and up in the Kazekages tower he heard the faint scream of**_

"_**GAARA!!!!"**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

_**Kazutoyo Machi cracked open his eyes. He felt pain all over, from his head to his legs. He groaned. He really over did it against Kisame. But it was strange, Kisame, as far as he remembered wasn't that bloodthirsty, he was more a laid back kind of guy. Strange. **_

_**Machi moved his eyes, but stopped as he felt the pain course through his neck. He used his eyes to scan the room. White, white, white. Hospital he presumed. He glanced out the window, and saw the raging sand storm. Must be the Wind Country. 'Oh shit' they might turn us in. I gotta find Naruto, and get the hell out of here.'**_

_**He tried to move, but the pain consumed him. He slumped back down into the bed. He grunted in frustration. He wasn't used to being helpless. Or receiving help, he had always done things, by himself, and never asked for assistance. He would've never placed himself in this situation before, a sure sign he was getting old. He sighed, and looked over to the corner of the room, where his two katanas lay. He glanced them over, the sheaths were cracked and broken, and the hilts were cut and chipped. He had yet to look at the blades.**_

_**Those swords served him throughout his time in the seven mist swordsmen and they held enormous power and many memories. Memories, of his father his family, his comrades, his wife. So many memories. **_

_**His father, Kazutoyo Shugo, had been the personal blacksmith for the seven mist swordsmen, and had infused all of their blades; with the chakra entity's people knew and feared. Each sword was perfectly crafted to fit the persons fighting style. For Machi, extreme speed, for Kisame, brute strength, and for Zabuza, silent killing. Each sword, held a special bond with the swordsmen. Originally Machi had only been given one katana. But during the banishment of the seven mist swordsmen, the Mizukage's agents had killed his father. With his last breaths, he fought the men with, what would become Machi's second katana. As he died he passed it onto Machi. Already infused with a chakra entity, Machi learned to control the two raging chakras and made himself know to the world, as a deadly killer.**_

_**On one of his many journeys, he had encountered a small caravan of traders being marauded by bandits. Unsheathing his swords, he dashed into battle slaying the bandits as he passed. The caravan was divided into 3 parts. As he passed through the second, he saw up ahead, a young woman, being dragged away. Putting on a burst of energy, his katana sliced through a bandit, and he hustled his way to the last caravan. **_

_**There he encountered the leader of the bandits. A large, fat man, about to rape the young woman. Invoking the power of his chakra entity, he thrust his swords into the man, watching as the dark chakra fizzled around him. He then drew his weapons out of the man, and turned to the rest of the bandits. He called to the young woman behind him, **_

"_**You might want to leave, this is going to get bloody" The bandits began to approach Machi. He raised the twin katana's and they began to glow a dark blue, and frost over. Carnage ensued. The fight lasted a good few hours. At the end, Machi had slumped to the ground, sporting various wounds all over. He sunk into unconsciousness, and as he did, the young woman he had saved, appeared above him. **_

_**And that was how he met his future wife, Kawasaki Rena**_

_**They had got to know each other pretty well, with Machi traveling with them. Her father was the leader of the caravan, and had hired Machi to protect them. During that time, they fell in love. They were married the next year.**_

_**They had a child, Kazutoyo Mitoko. Years passed, and Mitoko was now four.**_

_**But that year, they were attacked by a band of missing nin. Machi was preoccupied, fighting the enemy nins. His wife had taken shelter in the caravan. Machi fought, but there were too many. They rushed pass him, and into the caravans, killing women and children. Later Machi's old friend Kenji Rokuheita, came upon the scene, and helped. The fight ended, and Machi and Kenji, surveyed the death. Machi was frantic, and immedietly went to look for his wife.**_

_**He found her, dead.**_

_**After the funeral, Kenji and Machi bid each other farewell.**_

_**Machi, after convincing the caravan to settle in the near by village, took his daughter, and bid farewell to the people.**_

_**And now he lay in the hospital bed, wounded all over, and completely immobile. **_

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

_**They had found out. **_

_**Suna had come very close to breaking the alliance with Konoha.**_

_**Days and days of negotiation between Suna and Konoha had been brutal.**_

_**The Konoha council was scared shitless by Gaara, especially after he killed Dazno. That really opened their eyes.**_

_**But Tsunade had eventually convinced Gaara with the help of the Suna council, that it was in the interest of both of them that the alliance remain.**_

_**The alliance was re-instated eventually, but Gaara had cut off most communication with Konoha.**_

_**Naruto had heard all of this during his recovery, and now he was ready to depart before Konoha got word of his appearance.**_

_**Things had been settled between him and the land of Suna in the next month. They had agreed to keep his identity secret, in exchange for help in the future, and a few un-named conditions. Machi and Sanada had completely recovered, and now the three were departing from the land of Suna. **_

_**Naruto stood outside, his cloak and hood shrouding his figure, with Machi behind him. He glanced at Gaara, and with a slight nod disappeared.**_

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Naruto felt the ship hit land, and shook the thought of his adventures from his mind. He walked out the door of his cabin and into the gathering point. He turned his head, as Machi walked out of another hall, his katanas strapped to his hip. The two nodded, and proceeded to walk out the ship without waiting for the other two.

They walked onto land and hiked up a few miles into dense forest and cliffs. Reaching a large rock wall, Machi motioned to Naruto. He nodded, and began to focus chakra in his hand. In less than three seconds, a Rasengan had formed and smashed it's way through the rock wall, revealing a large cave entrance.

Yup, the next time he saw Jiraiya, Naruto though, he needed to thank him, Rasengan really came in handy.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

One of the three great Sannin, Jiraiya, sneezed.

He rubbed his nose, and looked around.

Must have been the climate.

Jiraiya then resumed his journey through the trees to wave country, and then to catch a ship to sea country.

He was here to track down the Shinobi Shinigamis, who had been sighted moving in and out of the area. And of course for research. Jiraiya giggled perversely for a moment and grabbed his notebook out of his shirt. Scribbling a few lines, he giggled again, and stuffed it back in. Laughing he began to walk in the direction of Kirigakure.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….


	8. Chapter 8

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Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

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Temari stared out the window of her apartment building. She sighed and headed to her room, eyes glazed over in thought.

She missed him.

Even if she had only been around him for a short time, she had felt a connection, and wanted to know him better.

But then he left.

He disappeared.

And now Temari was left to wonder if she would ever see him again.

She loved him. Every time she thought of him, warmth washed over her and made her feel good. She was in love with her brother's best friend. She was in love with her brother's savior. She was in love with an outlaw, a previously loud kid, now a mature, built, blonde, gentleman.

She was in love with Uzumaki Naruto, member of one of the most feared organizations in the world, the Shinobi Shinigamis.

But he was an outlaw destined to roam the world. She doubted she would ever be with him. But it was worth a try.

She needed to talk to Gaara.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Machi, Naruto, Mitoko, and Kenji sat in a large cavern with their eyes closed, meditating. Machi snapped an eye opened and looked over the three other figures sitting around him in a triangle.

He took a deep breath in, and called out to the others. "Now, we're here to discuss some important happenings to our group…"

The three others eye's opened, and they focused their gaze on Machi.

Machi glanced around and then began his explanation.

"As you know Akatsuki knows the identities of two of our members, myself and Naruto. Luckily for us they have not yet divulged this information to the shinobi countries. They either did it to protect themselves, or they are planning something major." He paused and took another breath.

"I think it is the latter."

Naruto spoke up, "But what, it's not like Akatsuki to just abandon their plans, and then go for something different."

Machi eyed Naruto for a moment and then began, "My guess is that it has to do with Konoha's increase in power, and that the Legendary Toad Sannin is investigating our organization."

Kenji looked shocked, "Why would he be investigating us?"

Machi and Mitoko gave Kenji a withering glare, "Well we did dispatch some of Konoha's finest…"

"And now they are sending patrols out to try and find us."

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed. He tilted his head slightly toward Machi.

"Well I have Sanada-sensei keeping track of events in Konoha and Suna for me, and Watanabe-san taking care of things in Mist, so I say we have a pretty good chance of not being discovered. We just have to lay low."

Kenji turned to Naruto, "But we can never lay low if the Akatsuki is after us…"

Machi stood up and began to walk into an adjoining chamber. "That means one thing…we have to destroy Akatsuki."

Mitoko stood up as well, "And to do that, we need more power"

She grinned as she felt arms slide around her waist and Naruto's chin rest on her head.

"And to get more power, we need more experience."

Kenji sighed in irritation and stood up only to trip over his legs. From his position on the ground he grumbled,

"And to get more experience, we need to fight and get more missions"

Machi unsheathed his twin Katanas and twirled them in the light coming from the cavern opening. He flipped them and then drove them deep into the earth. He crouched down near his blades.

The other three watched him for a moment. If the would have seen his face they would have seen the maniacal grin on his face.

Machi lifted his head to look out the entrance,

"It seems like we have to step it up a notch."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Jiraiya walked through Wave Country amazed at the improvements in economy. Sure he knew they would get better, but this much? Something was up. Walking down the street he walked toward the admin building looking for the person in charge.

Turning his head around to look at all of the surrounding he bumped into something. Looking around he spotted the kid he had run into. Short about 5'2, short brown hair, wearing some very fine clothes. The kid looked up at Jiraiya and his jaw fell to the floor.

Jiraiya looked pleased, "Ah so you know who I am??"

The kid shook his head, "No, it's just your clothing looks like crap."

Jiraiya's eyes began to twitch uncontrollably as he watched the kid get up. He then quickly remembered his objective and spoke to the kid,

"Hey kid, can you show me to the Admin building and the leader of this country?"

The kid nodded, "Sure weirdo, it shouldn't be hard, my grandpa is the leader…so…lets go weirdo." With that the kid began to walk off. Jiraiya gritted his teeth and followed all the while thinking, 'This kid is sooooooo dead.'

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Temari fidgeted under the blank gaze of the Kazekage, her brother Gaara.

Gaara blinked and then said in a slow drawl, "So…you want to be in "contact" with Uzumaki, am I right so far?"

Temari blushed as he emphasized contact. She rapidly nodded. Gaara swiveled in his squishy leather Kage chair and looked out the window.

He needed a cigarette, and he didn't even smoke.

Yup, that's how stressed he felt.

Without turning around he addressed Temari, "Why do you want to be in contact with Naruto, why do need to talk to him, is he important to you?" Temari started to stutter and blushed a little bit,

"He, he, he's very important to me..I…I…"

Gaara swiveled around in the chair and cut her off, "Do you love him?"

Temari blushed violently and tried to speak, but couldn't, so she settled for the next best thing.

Nodding.

Gaara remained motionless for a moment before quietly whispering, "You know, he might already be involved with someone…"

"I STILL HAVE TO TRY, I LOVE HIM!!" Temari screamed. Gaara twitched slightly in surprise at his sisters outburst. He stood up and headed toward the door leaving Temari just standing in his office. As he opened the door and stepped across the threshold he whispered,

"Are you sure, Temari?"

Temari just stood looking at the now empty desk.

"Yes…" she whispered quietly.

Gaara closed his eyes and raised his hands to massage his temples. "Very well Nee-chan…very well…" He exited the room leaving a stunned Temari in his wake.

Why was she stunned?

Gaara had never once called her Nee-chan…never. She slowly turned around to talk to her brother but found him gone. She ran out the room looking for him and ran down the hall and down the stairs. She looked around but saw no one. She quickly excited the building and saw Gaara walking down the street toward the desert with his massive gourd strapped to his back. Temari ran after him in an attempt to catch up but as she neared him, he disappeared in a swirl of sand.

She stood with a shocked expression on her face, in the middle of the street. People rushed past going their ways. She turned around and headed back to her apartment. Apparently her youngest brother did not want her going wherever he was.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Gaara stood outside a large complex in the middle of the desert. His eyes scanned over the partially destroyed wall and the dented gate that had the name 'Sanada' engraved in it. He walked through the gate and headed toward the doorway, but stopped at the sound of an old voice.

"Kazekage-sama what brings you to my humble abode?"

Gaara turned around to locate the man. He found him leaning on the dented gate.

"Hiroyuki Sanada" he breathed.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Jiraiya stood outside the admin building, his eyes wide.

The admin building was made of pure white marble bordered with silver on the windows and door entrance. The doors were made of red cherry wood and the glass made of fine quartz. Jiraiya stood still in awe as he let his eyes roamed over giant building, completely forgetting the kid standing next to him. Said kid was very impatient and so to get Jiraiya's attention,

…

…

…

He kicked him in the balls.

To say the least Jiraiya was stunned. Jiraiya's eyes went blank for a moment, and then he leapt up in fury,

"WHAT THE HELL!!! YOU ARE DEAD KID!!"

The kid quickly ran into the admin building with a furious Jiraiya right behind him. He quickly turned a corner and ran straight into an old man.

"Oh…Grandpa help! That weirdo behind me is gonna kill me!!!" The old man pulled a bottle of sake from behind his back and took a swig, adjusting his glasses slightly.

"Relax, I know him Inari…it's Jiraiya"

Jiraiya stopped to look at the old man, and then it dawned on him

"Tazuna!"

"Jiraiya it's been a while since you were last here…researching."

Tazuna motioned for the Toad Hermit to follow him into the next room. Jiraiya followed and they entered a huge office with a large fountain in the middle. What caught Jiraiya's attention were the 4 statues around fountain.

One was a very tall man with his hands on the hilts of twin katanas protruding from his belt. A large black cloak shrouded the rest of his body. His face was emotionless and his head was tilted to the side slightly.

The second figure was man with a bandanna covering his head, and his face was lowered as if staring at the ground. A metal senbon protruded from his smirking mouth. He too was shrouded in a large black cloak.

The last two figures were together. The taller one had his arms around the other's waist. The tall one, a male, had a hood over his head and was looking at the girl he was holding lovingly, almost his whole body was shrouded except for the small grin on his face.

The figure being held was a girl and she had a large smile on her face and was looking up to the other figure. She was dressed in a short kimono and was the only one without a cloak. Her long hair almost reached down to the floor.

Jiraiya stared in awe at the statue before him. It was breathtaking. Tazuna stood next to him and remarked,

"Those are our saviors, they brought this economy to its current height with the insane number of missions they did. They did us a great favor, and this was just a small payback to them."

Jiraiya was still staring at the statue, "Who are they?"

Tazuna pondered his answer for a few moments. Watanabe did say that the Shinobi Shinigamis were wanted…and so was Naruto. But what the heck.

"They are the Shinobi Shinigamis."

Jiraiya's eyes bugged out.

"WHAT!!!! They are your heroes????"

Tazuna looked at him before switching his gaze back to the 4 statues.

"Yes they are, and we will be forever indebted to them for the work the put into this country. They were our saviors."

The Sannin looked at him questioningly, "Were?"

"Yes they disappeared about 2 months ago, without notice, they just left without a trace."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Naruto stood outside the cave entrance his cloak flapping in the wind. His blond locks fell over his eyes as he looked upon their hideout for perhaps the last time. He closed his eyes pulled his hood tighter around him. Small arms wrapped around him.

"Come on Naruto-kun, it's time to leave."

He turned around and embraced Mitoko. They stood like that for a moment until Naruto leant down and kissed her on the lips. Mitoko responded and slid her tongue into Naruto's mouth. They stood having a furious make-out session before breaking away, gasping for breath.

"Consider that as a good luck kiss…we're going to need it. Come on Mitoko-chan, lets leave" Naruto whispered.

Mitoko just nodded, and the two walked down departing the cave, hand in hand.

Machi stood at the base of the trail with Kenji. They started off as they saw the two others. Mitoko and Naruto quickly followed, departing for may turn out as their last mission ever.

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Well, I hope you enjoyed. Time skip next chapter, and hopefully by the next time I post, all my kinks n stuff will be sorted out. Thanx for the support from everyone, I hope you enjoyed!!!

AZN

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	9. Chapter 9

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Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

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Two years later

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A paper blew across the crowded streets of Konoha. People bustled around and were chatting and talking.

"Did you hear?"

"Oh definitely!!"

"I can't believe it!!"

"Finally she chose somebody"

"I'm glad it's him!!"

"I know I love him!!"

The paper continued blowing across Konohagakure and it blew, on and on. It blew past people milling around, and past vendors all pointing at signs and papers tacked up on walls.

One figure watched the people of Konoha talk and chatter.

"Yeah I can't believe that he got chosen!!"

"He's sooooo cool"

The paper continued to blow, past the people, past the houses and straight to the gates of the village. It blew past the weary and sleepy guards and past the iron gates.

The figure watched the people as he sat on a rooftop. Sighing he pulled his hood down and hopped down from the house. He began to walk in the direction of the iron gates and the way out of Konoha.

He snapped his fingers and he felt a great weight lift. He vanished.

The paper rolled along the dirt path and down the long and winding road.

The wind blew hard for a moment and air propelled the paper farther, until it was picked up by a hooded figure. The man in question chewed on the senbon in his mouth as he looked at the heading of the paper. He sighed again as he looked up at the sky, and then down to the paper again, to make sure he wasn't imagining things.

Damn.

He glanced at the heading again, before stuffing it in his pocket and walking off.

Behind him blew another paper.

It kept blowing until it hit a tree, where there the contents of the paper were displayed.

"Uchiha Sasuke named Rokudaime"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sabaku no Gaara watched out of the window of his hotel, at the carnage that was taking place.

It was Tea Country, where a diplomatic ceremony was being held between the leaders of the west, and small time countries. Sand, Snow, Sea, Tea, Bear, and the re-emerged Mountain Country. The leaders of these countries had gathered over trading and the likes.

Sabaku no Gaara had hired some other nin to come with him, as escorts beside the normal ANBU. The two were always in the background, never appearing except for a few moments.

That's why the others never expected it to happen.

Dozens upon dozens of nuke-nin had assaulted the meeting area where the leaders were gathered.

Among the countries that were there, only three had brought guards.

Snow, Sand, and Sea.

Snow and Sea had very few guards and were convinced by the Kazekage to stay back and let his people to do the fighting.

The nuke-nin didn't know what hit them. One moment they were alive and the next blood was splattered over the ground and their entrails covering the bushes.

Gaara watched as his ANBU and the two other nin systematically eliminated the nuke-nin, one by one. His eye twitched as the blonde haired one did a particularly flashy move and caused the woman sitting next to him to gasp.

He sighed inwardly.

That was the other reason.

He had originally toyed with the idea of recruiting four members of the Shinobi Shinigami to protect him. But when Temari had found out about his plan. It was hell.

Flashback…………………………………………………………………………………..

"_**Please Gaara!!!"**_

"_**Why?"**_

"_**Pleeeeeaseeee!!"**_

"_**Stop bothering me Temari."**_

"_**Do it for your older sister, please!!!!!"**_

"_**Temari…. get OUT."**_

"_**No Gaara, I'm not leaving until you tell me yes."**_

"_**Temari, I am THIS close to snapping…and if you don't leave…I might hurt you."**_

"_**GASP you wouldn't hurt me, would you?"**_

"_**Sigh Temari……"**_

"_**Gaara, PLEASE…. sniff…if only Naruto was here…he'd make you."**_

_**Gaara looked up at the ceiling of his office silently praying to Kami for help. He turned to the crying Temari and saw her infamous puppy dog eyes. He glanced away again and sighed. 'Why me….'**_

_**He slowly raised his hand, and the cork of his gourd popped off. Temari looked startled as she heard the sound and froze. Gaara quickly thanked Kami for the opportunity and wrapped his sand around Temari and shoved her outside his office. Quickly shutting the door and locking it, and sighed in relief.**_

_**He began to get up and walk to his desk until,**_

_**CRUNCH**_

_**Gaara froze and glanced back at the gaping hole in his solid oak door.**_

'_**SHIT'**_

_**He heard the panting outside the door then the growl of, **_

"_**GAARA….."**_

_**He gulped and quickly piled sand on the door and poofed out of the building but not**_ _**before hearing his sister's enraged scream.**_

'_**Scary…"**_

…………………

_**Temari scowled as she heard the swirl of sand indicating here brother's disappearance. She growled and swung her fan over her back and proceeded to walk out the building. While in the hall she encountered her other brother Kankurou. **_

"_**Hey…what's with the pissed face, are you on your perio-"**_

_**SMACK**_

_**Kankurou went flying into the wall as his sister stalked off muttering something about annoying little brothers**_

Flashback END……………………………………………………………………………..

Unfortunately he had only acquired two of the shinobi. The other two were on solo intel gathering missions, so could not be present.

Gaara sighed inwardly as Temari gasped again as Naruto decapitated four nin at the same time. It was going to be HELL when she found out that Naruto and Mitoko were together.

Damn.

Gaara leant his hand out the window and snapped his fingers. The ANBU looked up and immediately began to withdraw.

The leader of Sea Country that stood next to him questioned, "Why are you pulling off the ANBU, are those two nin enough?"

Gaara just smirked and nodded. The leader of Snow Country walked over and sat down next to Temari.

"So Temari-san, who are those people?"

Temari looked up at the young actress, Kazayana Koyuki, and the leader of snow country. She smiled and looked back out the window at the three fighting comrades.

"They are members of the Shinobi Shinigamis…"

The leader of Bear Country, and Star Village glanced at the group fighting in surprise.

"Those are the famed shinobi, I figured they would be better?"

Gaara stirred and turned to look at the man behind him. "This is not even fifteen percent of their power. If any one of them went all out, I would be hard pressed to defeat them."

The leader of Sea Country gasped and turned his head back to look at the fight-taking place.

"If that's so, this fight just got a lot more interesting." He remarked. Gaara and the rest of the leaders looked out the window at the approaching mass of nuke-nin. Gaara had only one thought. He knew that they could handle themselves, he was just wondering.

'Who lured all of these nuke-nin here, and why are they targeting us?'

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Naruto slowly stuck his massive sword into the ground as he watched the new wave of nuke nin approach. He heard the splatter of blood behind him and waited as Mitoko walked up.

"Well…. what do you think?"

Mitoko eyed the oncoming nin and mentally began to count their numbers.

"Do you say we take it up a notch?" Questioned Naruto.

Mitoko nodded and a pair of Kunai out of her pouch while Naruto raised Kubikiri Houcho.

"Lets go!"

They disappeared in a shimmer and immediately the first lines of nuke nin were cut down.

Naruto appeared in the midst of the nin and swung his sword in a massive arc, sending body parts of people flying off into the crowd. Thrusting the sword into the ground he pulled of a spinning kick and began to form handseals.

"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!!"

A hug tidal wave rose from the ocean barreling straight for the nin. Naruto turned away as he heard the screams and pulled Kubikiri from the dirt slicing through another nin's head. The blood sprayed over his cloak.

"Damn, now I have to wash it." He muttered.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Gaara watched as the nin were cut down by the pair of Shinobi. He sighed in relief as the tide of enemy's slowed until there were few left. He got up and began to walk through the conference building and toward the door. He pulled on the doorknob and began to walk out.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

He froze as he heard the piercing scream. He quickly ran to the window where the rest were gathered. He wrenched the window open and jumped out, heading toward where he heard the scream.

Naruto was nowhere in sight.

Gaara looked around and began to reach out to feel Naruto's demonic chakra. Grasping at the chakra signatures he dashed off into the forest.

Panting he leapt through the trees until he reached the chakra signature's origin.

His eyes widened as he looked upon the figures there.

Blood was splattered over the trees and weapons littered the ground. Naruto stood, eyes wide staring at the figures that lay before him.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kazutoyo Machi stood on a tree branch. His eyes were shaded under a wide brimmed hat, and he wore dark black sunglasses. One katana was strapped over his back and he held one in his hand. Machi's dark black and green tank top and pants blended in with the surrounding trees.

His eyes darted back and forth behind his shades and glanced over the dirt path in front of the trees. Tensing he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pair of binoculars. Adjusting his shades he looked through the other instrument to an opening in a valley not far away.

Nothing.

Placing the binoculars back into his pouch he settled his back against the tree and pulled out some polish. Grabbing his Katana he unsheathed it and placed it across his leg. The one thing he loved more than killing was cleaning his weapons.

Grabbing a flask of water from his belt he poured it down his blade watching the water drip down on onto the ground, 20 feet away. He began to rub his blade down when a slight beeping resounded from his belt. Swiftly flicking his blade clean of the liquid he sheathed it and grabbed the binoculars out of his pouch. He shrugged off the shades and took a look through them.

"One…two…. three…Bingo, I found it. And what's this…in chains??? Hmmm."

Quickly pouching the binoculars he slid his katana into his belt and jumped out of the trees. He hit the dirt path and began to walk toward the three figures.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Three figures emerged from the valley and began to trek up the long road toward the crest. The figure in the back reached under his cloak and tightened the grip on the chain he held under his hands.

"Be good Uchiha, and we just might put in a good word for you, got it?"

The figure that was blindfolded said nothing as he was dragged along by another figure.

"Deidara stop threatening him and let him be. Leader will reconstruct the seal on his eyes when we get back, Hurry."

"Hai Sasori-dana, then this Uchiha will get his punishment for trying to disobey Leader-sama."

Deidara roughly pushed the middle figure up the road with Sasori leading.

Kazutoyo Machi watched the three figures climb the road to the crest. He took a closer look at the middle figure in an Akatsuki cloak.

"That's strange… one of their own members in chained."

Pulling out his binoculars he peered through them to look at the middle figure, the one in chains. He let out a low whistle.

"Uchiha Itachi…. what have you got yourself into…"

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	10. Chapter 10

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Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

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Uchiha Itachi.

The killer of the entire Uchiha Clan, save for one child.

The possessor of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Merciless killer.

Ruthless human.

Demon

Monster

That was the side of him people saw.

Uchiha Itachi.

But what they didn't see, was when his sanity snapped

When his inner human died

When his emotion disappeared

They didn't see.

His sensitive side

His suffering mind

And most of all,

Who was controlling him….

Uchiha Itachi.

Puppet of the Akatsuki.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Blood poured over Naruto as he sprinted through the forest, Gaara close behind him. He was silently praying to Kami for help, she couldn't die, she couldn't. His Iron Sand swirled around him; it was prone to do so when his emotions were high.

Gaara propelled himself forward and caught up with Naruto. He looked at his friends face, and the concern that was etched there. He then looked at the person Naruto was carrying.

Kazutoyo Mitoko.

Blood streamed down her face. Her hair was hanging loose and blood soaked her clothes. A deep puncture wound went through her side, dangerously close to her heart. Naruto didn't have the capabilities to heal this. The only thing stopping her from dying now, were the small particles of Iron Sand that cut off the blow flowing out.

The Iron Sand around Naruto swirled faster and faster…his emotions were running high. It was understandable…. this was Mitoko…but what unnerved Gaara was the glowing red that was being produced by the Iron Sand. Surely this was Kyuubi's chakra. Hell…. it was even making HIS demon quake.

Looking back at the wound Gaara grimaced.

Gaara knew of only a few beings that could heal wound of this caliber. One was Tsunade. That was out of the question. Gaara ran a hand through his hair, and sighed. Another person who could save her, or to be precise, people that could save her, were the medic-nin from Snow.

He groaned inwardly, he was going to have to pull some strings and call in some favors if the leader of Snow didn't agree.

Damn.

Gaara snapped out of his thoughts as he saw the meeting buildings come into sight. He glanced over to Naruto and noticed his ragged breath and lagging speed.

'Strange' he thought 'He usually isn't tired, must be stress…. he needs a cigarette.'

Gaara called out to Naruto, "Hey, you're lagging, let me carry her with my sand, you need some rest."

Naruto just shook his head and Satetsu swirled even more around his lithe frame. He continued sprinting forward disregarding Gaara's words. Gaara just rolled his eyes and popped the cork on his gourd.

'Hell, why not?'

Lifting his hand he thrust it forward and engulfed both Naruto and Mitoko in a coffin of sand. Naruto's Iron Sand was slow to react as it too was covered by massive amounts of sand. Gliding forward he looked into Naruto's shocked eyes.

"I am the Kazekage, I have hired you, and you WILL listen to me!"

Radiating massive killing intent Gaara carried Naruto and Mitoko with his sand and floated toward the meeting buildings.

'I can't believe I'm stealing a phrase from that lazy bastard…but here goes…this… is troublesome.'

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Machi slowly began to pull his swords from their sheaths. Not taking his eyes from the approaching figures he began to break into a run. Flipping the blades in his hands he sped up, heading straight for the three Akatsuki members.

Light glistened off the blade of his katanas.

They didn't know what hit them.

Machi was crouched behind the three figures, his eyes narrowed as he waited for a response. Moments later he got one.

Deidara stared at his stump of an arm in shock.

"YOU, YOU CUT OFF MY ARM, I'll KILL YOU!"

With a swirl Diedara turned to face the former mist swordsmen. Sasori tightened Itachi's chains with more chakra and shoved him to the ground muttering,

"You're next Uchiha…."

Turning toward Machi the large scorpion tail protruding from his back began to sway in the air.

"You picked the wrong day to screw with us Mist nin, we the Akatsuki will make short work of you…hah…"

Machi leapt out of the way as multitudes of clay began to fly toward him. Slashing at the clay figures his eyes widened as they exploded in a blinding white light sending him flying backwards. Dust was kicked up as Machi slid on his feet and dodged the massive tail rapidly thrusting toward his position. Dodging narrowly, he charged chakra into his blades, and as they glowed a light blue, he thrust them down, straight on the hard tail of the scorpion.

A loud crack and bang were heard and Machi watched as cracks and dents began to spread out over the puppets large shell.

"Ha, very good, few have cracked this shell, Kazutoyo Machi, hah, so the rumors about you were true, interesting. I'll enjoy killing you and making you my puppet."

Deidara inched his hand into the pouch on his waist.

"You'll pay for my arm, bastard, yeah."

Grabbing the clay he began to fling it rapidly toward Machi. Using the distraction Sasori sent the cracked scorpion tail straight toward Machi's unprotected back. The tip of the tail pierced straight through his chest and began to drag him along the ground.

Deidara watched and laughed as Machi was dragged across the floor.

"Haha, pathetic, he couldn't even avoid your tail…haha."

"Oh, really?"

Deidara leapt forward as a blade descended toward his head in a flash, moments later Machi's body on Sasori's tail exploded into thousands of pieces, disintegrating the cracked tail of Sasori's puppet.

Machi stood and called out,

"My _Bunshin Daibakuha_, like it?"

The puppet master eyed Machi carefully.

"Hmm, you are better than I thought swordsmen, but it does not matter, we will kill you…."

With a swift click the puppet was discarded in a puff of smoke and Sasori's true form shown.

Machi leapt toward Sasori and raised his blades channeling chakra through them, heading for the killing blow. He inched closer and his blade was in position. He gritted his teeth and thrust forward for the last blow.

As he neared he was struck by dozens of small clay figures. Stumbling backwards he tripped and was sent flying backwards. He saw Deidara's smiling face and heard the word,

"Boom…"

With a bang and a loud explosion of smoke and white light the clay figures began to bang rapidly, sending Machi's body jerking violently back. Blood and skin flew off Machi's powerful figure and splattered over the floor.

Sasori watched amused for a moment before pulling out a small scroll and wiping some blood over it.

Waiting for a moment the scroll in front of him burst into smoke, concealing the field of battle. Stumbling back Machi raised his katana and peered through the haze. A figure was slowly being outlined in the smoke.

The Sandaime Kazekage.

Machi slowly pushed himself up by his blades cursing.

The Sandaime Kazekage.

The most powerful Kazekage to ever lead his country.

This man…was Naruto's uncle. A master of manipulating _Satestu_, the Iron Sand.

At full power, he would be able to crush Machi, quickly and efficiently.

But this was just a puppet, and Naruto had taught Machi a few things about the Iron Sand. And by chance, Machi knew a puppets weak point.

Clawing at the ground Machi let out a labored breath.

Looking up he saw Deidara's and Sasori's smirking faces.

'Damn, why can't I fight at my full potential, I feel so weak right now….'

Struggling to get up, Machi wiped a hand over the blood on his chest. His eyes widened in shock.

'Black!"

Sasori began to laugh,

"Yes Machi, that is poison, it slows down your reflexes and numbs your senses of hear sight and smell, soon you wont have those anymore for our battle, and then, we'll be able to kill you…."

Machi stood up and eyes the three figures on the other side. Raising his blades he began to channel chakra through them preparing for another strike. First goal: Sandaime.

Leaping forward in a burst of speed his blades closed in on the Kazekage's body.

'Let's hope this works….'

Speed toward the Iron Sand user he channeled massive amounts of chakra through his blade and whispered,

"_Hyoton: Haryu Moko…."_

A large ice creature emerged from the combined force of the chakra blades and propelled forward at the three figures on the other side.

Sasori just smirked as the Sandaime raised his hands and his Iron Sand was sent flying through the air. Moments later the ice figure was crushed and the shards sent flying across the ground.

Itachi who was on the floor rose and tried to yell out a warning to Machi, but he was kicked down and viciously stomped on by Deidara.

"Stay down Uchiha, you're just like your partner Kisame, yeah, too bad we didn't get him in time, yeah, he would be dead."

Machi leapt back from the Iron Sand clutching he bleeding chest and raised an eyebrow.

'So, Kisame is involved in this too? What the hell is going on…?"

Crouching Machi struggled to regain his breath as the poison in his body worked its way through his system.

'Damn…I guess I have to take it up a notch.'

Reaching into the depths of his body, Machi called on his massive chakra reserves, willing them to come forward, and aid him in battle.

Deidara saw him motionless and began to laugh,

"Ha, is this the best Kazutoyo Machi can do? He can't even move, yeah!"

Sasori narrowed his eyes as he felt Machi's chakra began to skyrocket,

"Shut up Deidara, he's coming…."

Chakra burst from Machi's position as he leapt forward his eyes glowing a light blue and his blades shrouded in a veil of dark blue energy. In a shimmer of blue he was in between the Kazekage and Deidara. Slashing outwards he drove his blade deep into the sides of the two figures.

Grunting in pain Deidara backed off as blood sprayed from his wound, coating Machi's face in a thin layer of the red liquid, and sent his clay spinning after Machi.

Moving the Sandaime Kazekage, Sasori went to attack Machi, but found no one there.

Looking around the battlefield he could see no one…then…

"Up here…."

With a heave Machi sent his blades crashing into Sasori's head slicing it open, dealing fatal damage.

Machi sighed in relief as he looked upon the dead Sasori and turned to face Deidara. A crackling sound reached his ears and he quickly moved out of the way to avoid poisoned senbon heading toward him.

Whirling around he saw Sasori with a massive crack in his head standing like nothing had happened. Wood began to splinter of the seemingly young man. Without a sound the pieces of his face began to fall off. Sasori smiled.

"You see young swordsman…I, AM a puppet…."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Naruto paced outside the make shift hospital room. Glancing at the door he sighed and began to pace the hall again.

The Kazekage sat across from him, his eyebrow raised slightly and his arms crossed over his chest.

"Neh, Naruto, you have a problem? You need to sit down and calm down, Mitoko will be fine…."

Gaara sighed and continued to watch Naruto pace the room. Uncorking his gourd with a pop he slowly began to slide the sand out. Inching his hand forward the sand shot toward Naruto covering him completely and restraining his movements. Gaara sighed in relief as Naruto stopped struggling.

"Finally…."

Gaara tensed as Naruto started to pump out massive amounts of chakra, rapidly loosening Gaara's hold over his sand. The pouches around Naruto's waist clicked open and his Iron Sand began to pour out. Drizzling to the ground, it began to meld with Gaara's sand, cutting off the chakra.

"Dammit Naruto, this is a hospital, the chakra you are using is scaring the patients, you IDIOT…. wait…. what are you doing…. NO! Dammit Naruto, stop mixing your Iron Sand with MINE!"

A door slammed.

Naruto and Gaara looked over at the medic nin who had just emerged from the other room.

"Well?"

The young nin cringed a bit before responding.

"Miss Mitoko is in stable condition now and should be out in two weeks, until then she is allowed to have no visitors unless approved. So uh….I suggest you find something to do…"

Naruto let out a relieved sigh, and Gaara began to withdraw his sand into his gourd.

"Well Naruto, you can check on Mitoko later, let's leave now…. I think Temari wants to talk to you…."

Motioning down the hall to another room he began to walk off. The Iron Sand began to slowly slink back into the pouches attached to Naruto's hip. With a look back at the medic nin, the blonde member of the Shinobi Shinigamis followed after Gaara.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Rokuheita awakened quickly as he heard the movement of someone of to his left. Craning his head around the tree he was in, he peered off into the foliage looking for the thing…or person.

Narrowing his eyes, he saw the protruding tip of a large wrapped blade, and some blue skin. Mouth opening in a small 'o' he slowly reached for the senbon in his mouth and watched the figure that continued moving.

Blue skin, massive sword, it was no other than Hoshigake Kisame, former Mist Seven Swordsmen.

Toying with his senbon he watched Kisame struggle out of the foliage and break off in a small jog south. Looking at the path where Shark man had come from, he could see a few dead bodies and the remnants of a tattered Akatsuki cloak. Weighing his options, Kenji came to one conclusion.

"I can take him…" he muttered as he hopped down from his perch. Sliding his eyes over the greenery he trained them on Kisame's fleeing figure. Breaking into a sprint he began to pursue the swordsman.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kisame turned quickly avoiding the Kunai that were flying toward him. Baring his sharp teeth, he faced his pursuer. Grabbing the sword from his back he blocked the incoming shuriken and leapt back, giving him some space. Spotting his attacker in the trees he leapt toward him and proceeded to decapitate him.

Looking down at the body he spat on it saying aloud,

"You'll never get me with these, damn Akatsuki…."

The sound of clapping echoed through the forest. Looking up Kisame saw a figure sitting in the branch above him, a smile on his face and a senbon in his mouth.

"Wow, wow, Hoshigake Kisame, very brutal. They talked about you often, you seem to fit the description, mind telling me what you're doing…"

He motioned with his hands to the surroundings.

"Out here?"

Kisame leapt at the tree branch and hacked at it, bringing it down. Nimbly hopping out Kenji turned and dodged a thrust from the swordsman. Backing up, he held out his hands in a placating manner. Leaping back he dodged another strike from Kisame.

"Akatsuki sent you, didn't they, DIDN'T THEY! Well, I'm going to kill you and then when they come…. they'll find out how serious I am about this!"

"Uchiha Itachi and I will never be killed, I WILL rescue him…I

wasn't a member of the Mist Seven for nothing!"

Kenji backed up,

"Relax…I'm with Machi."

Kisame paused his rampage glanced over Kenji.

Kisame let out a small grin and spoke,

"You're that one kid, what're you doing following me?"

Kenji rolled his head back and responded,

"Well, I saw the remains of those nin, and your Akatsuki cloak, I also heard those words you muttered, so I was wondering, what IS Kisame doing? Care to enlighten me?"

Kisame grasped his sword and slid it over his back,

"Okay, sit though, this'll be a long one."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Moving back, Machi winced as the Iron Sand ripped open his skin, leaving gash marks across his chest. Black blood slowly dripped. Looking from Sasori to Deidara, he dashed forward and slid his blade between the puppets joints. Pulling upward, his chakra enforced blades ripped through the metal and wood of the Sandaime Kazekages arm.

Stumbling back Machi waved his blades in an attempt to fend of the Iron Sand.

The Puppet Master Sasori grinned and moved his fingers opening a small compartment in the back of the Kazekage.

Thousands of particles of Iron Sand poured out of the puppet. Pouring more chakra into his blades, Machi let out a labored cough, and grimaced as his black blood splattered over the floor.

'Well…. looks like it's almost the end for me….'

Closing his eyes, he reached even farther into his chakra reserves, pulling out every last ounce of power he had. Letting his blades drop, the chakra swirled around him. His eyes opened with a snap, and his blades were in his hands.

Time seemed to slow as the figure blurred across the field, watching the stunned faces of the two Akatsuki members.

Re-enforced chakra steel met wood and Iron Sand.

Piercing right through the Iron Sand Machi grimaced as it ripped his skin wide open. With a flash his blade was planted in the center of the puppet.

Machi twisted his blade through the middle Sandaime Kazekage, the only weak spot of a living puppet, a strike through the center. Watching the remains of the puppet crumple to the ground he turned to Sasori and watched his surprised face. Grasping the hilts tighter he sliced the head off an incoming clay figure and leapt back as the resounding explosion rocked the area.

Backing up he flipped and brought his blade down on the head of another puppet. Pulling his blade back, he punctured the middle of the wood figure. Splintering into hundreds of pieces the puppet was scattered across the floor.

Panting Machi rapidly formed handseal and faced Deidara,

"_Suiton: Daibakufu no Justu_!"

A huge torrent of swirling water formed from the melted ice and plowed its way toward Deidara. Grasping his blade he pumped some more chakra into them and faced Sasori.

The puppet master was unsealing a small scroll. Machi's eyes widened at the Kanji on the scroll. Leaping forward an ice jutsu formed and blew toward Sasori.

Machi watched the impact and squinted as the steam cleared. Wait…steam?

Sasori stood unharmed an army of hundreds of puppets surrounding him. Sending them forward he forced Machi to leap back, straight into Deidara's clay figures. Explosions rocketed the ground as Machi was caught in the trap.

Laid out on the ground, the swordsman struggled to catch his breath. Raising his blades he pulled himself up only to be hit square in the jaw by a puppets attack.

Stumbling backwards Machi pulled his katana up and watched the approaching puppets and the figure of Deidara. Quickly bursting out chakra he blew through the puppets and made a beeline toward the clay user. Eye's glinting madly he decapitated a puppet and threw his Katana toward the clay user.

Blood splattered over the floor.

Deidara looked down at the blade protruding from the left side of his chest and he stumbled backwards, shocked.

Seizing the opportunity Machi quickly placed his blade to the blonde's neck. Turning to Sasori he spoke,

"Hand over the Uchiha and surrender, or this guy dies."

Sasori grinned maniacally and looked at Machi,

"Fine, kill him then…."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Naruto stared at Temari, emotions played across his face and thoughts flew through his head, at so rapid a pace…. even Kyuubi was stunned.

"Wait…. you love me?"

Temari looked at the blonde with tear stained eyes. Hugging him tightly she whispered,

"Yes Naruto-kun, I love you…"

Naruto froze in shock, not believing what he was hearing. This couldn't be…it couldn't…

'She…loves me? No…I can't, I already have Mitoko…I…I can't do this.'

Pulling away from the blonde woman, Naruto shook his head sadly.

"I can't Temari….I can't, I already have someone…."

Looking at the crying blonde Naruto's heart went out for her. Backing up, Naruto turned to the door and walked out.

Temari stood there. Shocked, dazed…killed.

Her heart was dead.

That was it…. the only man, she had ever loved…. just rejected her.

The pain was unbearable. Struggling to hold in the hot tears she sunk to the ground.

Maybe if she had known him better, maybe if she was stronger, maybe if she was a better fighter. Maybe if she was better looking…. maybe…. maybe…maybe…

She had loved him…. her one and only.

Ever since…ever since when?

She didn't even know anymore….

It was like she had loved him…. forever….

She was one of the few that cried when he had disappeared.

She needed him.

But clearly he didn't need her.

He had someone else.

She should have known…she should have known…

Thoughts flew through her head rapidly.

She couldn't take it anymore.

She cried.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Slowly inching the door open the young man entered the make shift hospital and looked over at the young woman lying on the cot.

'Beautiful'

Walking slowly over he admired her complexion and her figure.

This woman was beautiful, with a fiery attitude. The perfect type for him.

Grabbing a chair he placed it beside her bed and just watched her.

Sighing he looked to the ceiling and the looked back. Letting out a startled yelp he found the young woman had her eyes snapped open and a kunai at his throat.

Slowly the young woman spoke,

"Who are you, and where am I?"

The young man smiled briefly before responding,

"You are in a makeshift hospital in Tea Country, as for who I am, I'm just Hideo, the Sea Country lords son, and let me tell you, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

Mitoko blushed and looked over Hideo. Tan from being on the island nation of Sea Country, dark black hair and green eyes. He was about five foot eleven. Black clad and with a long chain hanging from his belt, his neck was wrapped in some silver jewelry. Mitoko eyed him and blushed.

'Nice…and cute… wait what the hell Mitoko! You have Naruto…what are you thinking!'

The young man continued,

"And you have the most beautiful brown eyes…."

'Oh my god….he barely even knows me….and he's hitting on me…ad I'm FALLING for it?'

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Naruto walked across the hall, toward the messenger bird at the window, trying to shake the thoughts of a crying Temari from his mind. Reaching the messenger bird he quickly grabbed the scroll from its leg and opened it.

_**Hey SS,**_

_**I have some stuff I want to send you; a shark and some information, just swing on by the leaves of fire, n I'll find you, later!**_

_**Your SS bro,**_

_**Senbon K.**_

Naruto nodded thoughtfully.

'Kenji has something for me, knowing him he won't stay in one place for long.'

Walking down the hall he encountered a medic nin. Flashing a smile he spoke,

"Miss, could you relay this message to the patient….the fox went to the leaves of fire, important business?"

The medic nin nodded and smiled,

"Why yes I can, have a good day!"

Nodding Naruto grabbed his bag from the hall and fastened the sword on his back. Walking toward the window he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and jumped out. Slowly lighting one he stuck it in his mouth and inhaled deeply,

"Hmm….not bad…"

Placing the pack in his belt, he began to walk off in the direction of Konoha.

"Kenji, what do you have for me now?"

……………………………………………………………………….

Jiraiya stood over the ruins of an abandoned base. Walking around the debris he inspected the large spiraling mark in the center of the cavern, caused by some jutsu.

This was definitely it.

Moving deeper into the caver he inspected the surroundings for clues muttering to himself the while time,

"Damn…I taught him too well…."

Going farther into the chamber he reached a door and pried it open.

"Wow…."

Inside was a furnished room, lazy boys, couches, leather chairs, desks, stools, foot rests, and a pool table.

"Damn they like to relax."

Walking out of the cavern he sighed and bit his thumb spreading blood and slammed it into the ground. A poof of smoke later, and a small orange frog was in front of Jiraiya.

"Yo!"

"Gamakichi, tell Tsunade that I've found their base, but no sign of them. I'm still looking, and hopefully I'll find them soon."

Gamakichi nodded and began to hop off.

Jiraiya stood, looking back into the cavern.

"Dammit Naruto, where are you?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Two nin watched from afar.

"Hey, isn't that the Legendary Toad Sannin, Jiraiya?"

One nin pulled out a small orange book from her back pocket. Flipping to the author bio she skimmed over the print. Snapping the book shut she nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, it's him…"

The orange masked nin trained his eyes on Jiraiya.

"Should we tail him?"

The woman slowly shook her head, her blur hair waving in the wind, and looked off into the distance.

"No, orders were just to track and report, not pursue, besides, leader-sama would be angry if we were late…. let's go.

The nin in the orange mask sighed and took one last look at the empty base and the lone figure.

"Are you sure…. shouldn't we have a tracking device on him? Leader-sama won't know where he is after we stop pursuing him…."

"No…. we leave now…. Leader's instructions were clear…let's leave."

The other nin nodded as he vanished out of sight. Shortly after the woman nodded and followed suit, leaving Jiraiya alone, searching endlessly.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….


	11. Chapter 11

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Player-ism does not reflect my views in any way, shape, or form.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

As hardened a shinobi Machi was, he would never get used to those words. Especially when used by a victims partner. The words,

"Kill Him."

They rang through his head. Those words were the sign of a merciless killer, without soul without heart and without pity. It was also a sign of death for a certain person.

Deidara's eyes widened slightly as the Machi long blade pierced through his jugular vein and then straight through his neck. He tensed for a moment and then fell limp, his body hanging on the Katana blade.

Blood sprayed over Machi's face. It sprinkled his clothing, tainting it red with the blood of an enemy, so corrupt that he had sacrificed his comrade for a better chance at winning.

Machi shook his head and withdrew the crimson covered blade from the throat of the dead clay user. Moving to kick the body out of the way of battle, he suddenly broke out in a coughing fit. Dropping his Katanas he backed up raising a hand to his mouth. Coughing more he leant against a tree as his vision began to blur. Looking up he could see the figure of Sasori, his mass of puppets behind him, slowly approaching.

Letting his black blood spray over his hands and ground, he sank to the base of the tree feeling around for his Katana.

His vision was shot; pretty soon his hearing would go.

Inching his hand around he tuned his hearing and picked up the sounds of Sasori walking closer and closer to him…. and the sound of senbon rapidly approaching him.

Remaining calm Machi's hand came in contact with the hilt of his Katana. Bringing it up he rolled out of the way and heard the senbon come into contact with the tree trunk. Standing up in a wobbly manner…. he began to walk forward still listening for the attack to come.

If he didn't have sight…. it didn't matter. He was a former Mist Seven Swordsmen. Silent Killing was something that came naturally. He wasn't normally a user of it…and had never mastered it like Zabuza or Naruto, but he could sure use it proficiently. Blocking out all other sounds, he focused on Sasori.

The whip of the cloak, the scratch of wood, the clinking of metal gears, the hum of chakra strings, the sound of weapons, approaching him at mach speeds.

He didn't have both Katana, but it didn't matter. Using his one blade he blocked the attack from his side by a puppet, and pierced it through the middle. Wrenching his blade upward and then down, he severed the puppet in half. Milliseconds later, he sidestepped narrowly avoiding the poisoned senbon aiming for his neck.

Stumbling back he raised his blade again and strained his hearing. Hell…it was going too.

Chuckling too himself he sighed; only two senses left, taste and feel. Taste wasn't going too due him much good…. and feel? Well…after the blades had pierced his skin and poison and flooded in, yeah, feel would be great.

Slicing behind him he decapitated another puppet and stumbled into a tree.

'Hell…looks like this is the end…well I had a good run while it lasted…wish I could see my daughter again…I'm sorry…. I said I would protect you…. but I couldn't even save myself…sorry my little girl…. your daddy failed.'

His hearing faded.

Slumping against the tree he slid down, letting his blade go. He licked his tongue across his teeth, no blood. There went his taste.

'I'm sorry Naruto…but I hope you leave the life of a missing nin. Haha, it kills. Keep my daughter safe…'

He waited for the inevitable.

Watching the former mist nin slump against the tree, Sasori laughed. Victory had never been so sweet. All the things and powers he could drain from this mist nin, after he was dead. His puppet would be great, greater than that of the Sandaime Kazekages. This was a gold mine.

Walking toward the slumped figure he laughed again, calling all of his puppets back. With a poof they disappeared, into the scroll from which they had come. So, who cared if Deidara died? He was useless anyways, he was sure Leader-sama would understand. Besides, that new, orange masked punk, Tobi could take his place.

Hell…if they could get their hands on the Kyuubi vessel, who they had thought died and was now revealed as Machi's comrade, they could…persuade him to join Akatsuki…. much like how they did to Kisame and Itachi.

Sasori's eyes were wild and he laughed maniacally. It was great to be an evil villain, except in Deidara's case…. that just plain sucked.

Hell being in Orochimaru's place wouldn't be so bad compared to Deidara.

Jeez, he was dead.

Sasori laughed again and knelt down beside the fallen Machi. Picking up the old Katana next to him, he raised it and moved it towards Machi's neck.

"Have a long sleep, mist nin, you were more trouble than you were worth…."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Go away Gaara…I don't want to talk."

"No Temari, we need to talk about what happened…. you need to get over him."

"GO AWAY GAARA!"

The sandman narrowed an eye and cocked his head. Damn things must have gone wrong.

That was just too bad.

She was going to have to talk about it anyways. Yes, that was just how loving a brother he was.

"Temari…. I'm not going to say it again…you need to TALK!"

Gaara waited. The sound of footsteps reached his ears, muffled by the door. Feet shuffled. The door clicked open and a teary eyed Temari appeared at the entrance. Lunging at Gaara she hugged him tight.

"Gaara...I don't know what to do…I'm stuck…"

Gaara closed his eyes. Damn that Uzumaki. He was going to get it next time they saw each other. He was going to be…what's that word…dead…that's it…he was going to be dead. Returning the embrace Gaara spoke,

"I'll try to help Temari…but first…I have to know what happened…"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mitoko cleared her head as she looked at Hideo.

"So…tell me, who are you again?"

Damn the drugs of medics, she could never think straight when on medicine…Machi would vouch for that…oh yes he would.

The black haired man sighed,

"As I said before, I'm the Sea Country's Lord's son, Hideo."

Mitoko nodded thoughtfully before asking another question,

"Do you know where Naruto is?"

Hideo squinted in remembrance,

"You mean the blonde kid? With the massive sword, and the bandages around his neck?"

Mitoko nodded,

"Yeah, that's Naruto, my boyfriend."

Hideo remained calm on the outside, but inside his emotions were raging. That blonde already took her.

Damn…there went his chance, no doubt if that man found out he was moving in on his girl…he would be dead…very dead.

He sighed and blew the hair of his eyes. Definitely not part of his plan. She was supposed to be SINGLE. Damn. Well it seemed that he would just have to adjust his plan to fit the situation.

Aggressiveness was what won love, or so he thought. Turning slightly away he smirked, she wouldn't know what hit her. Speaking, his grin widened.

"Yeah…I saw him come in with that Kazekage, leave you and then disappear into the complex. That was it."

Mitoko nodded sadly and looked down.

Turning back around, Hideo saw his opportunity; leaning forward he tilted her chin and met his lips with her.

'PLAN SUCCESS' he mentally yelled.

Oh damn was he so wrong.

Mitoko froze for a moment before pushing he him away spluttering, her face red. No she wasn't blushing. She was furious.

"WHAT THE HELL!"

Hideo smirked at her,

"What, you didn't like it?"

Now she was beyond furious.

Gritting her teeth she raised her hand and slapped him, HARD, across the face.

"You…BASTARD, you frickin VIOLATED ME, and I thought that you were nice…these lips are reserved for someone special!"

Reaching to her side, she pulled up her kunai and raised it.

"Get out, or I'll kill you…get out…NOW!"

Hideo backed up, stumbling on his own feet. His mind was swirling, wasn't she just responding to his advances a minute ago…what the hell went wrong with his master plan.

Stepping out the door he walked into the empty hall.

Oh yeah, that's what was wrong; she had a boyfriend…one that could kill him without batting an eye. Great, just great.

But still…she was responding before…damn medical drugs…must've screwed and chopped her judgment, either that or her conscious was telling her to cut it the hell out.

Walking down the hall the young man twirled his silver chain in the air. He smirked.

Whatever it was, he was going to get past it, one way or another, whether he had to play dirty or not.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

To say Kisame was dirty was the understatement of the year.

He smelt bad; he was covered in mud, blood, and cuts. His clothes were in tatters, and dirt caked him across the arms and parts of the face.

He needed a bath. Thank god he was getting one.

Kenji grimaced as he handed Kisame another bucket of water. Biting down on the senbon he had in his mouth he turned away from the sharkman. Walking away from the lake and through the trees he calculated the days Naruto would be there in and the location he would appear in.

He was a master at these things.

Tonight he would be calculating all the different speeds Naruto would use, and the locations he would arrive at.

He had never slipped up once; hell he was THE information gatherer of the Shinobi Shinigamis. The only thing he couldn't predict was random events. He didn't fail.

He had factored everything in.

Too bad he forgot to factor the speed of his messenger bird.

It was an important part too. It had arrived three days earlier than expected. The storm that he had forecasted never hit tea country.

It was a shame he didn't know.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Naruto sneezed as he sprinted across the dirt of Fire Country. He cursed for the tenth time that minute. Kenji hadn't bothered to set a rendezvous point.

Just like him.

Trusting his damn brain instead of making a sure decision. That was going to kill him some day. Naruto sighed as another tree blurred past him.

His home country, it felt strange being there again. Not that he was very connected to the people here. It just felt weird, to be back in a place where you were never wanted, and were never liked.

Where people shunned you, because of something they couldn't understand.

And it really killed him.

Few of them actually cared. The only ones were Iruka, Jiraiya, and perhaps Tsunade. Sandaime too, but he was long dead.

Long years of reflection had morphed his views about his…birthplace. Who knew how it would change in the next few years?

Naruto stopped standing tall on a tree branch. It was a shame Rokuheita was too over confident, it caused Naruto all the more trouble.

He was assuming they were in southern fire country. He was taking a wild guess. He wasn't going to spend days looking for them, he had to get back to Mitoko.

This was his last choice; he didn't care if it attracted nin across Fire Country, or the Akatsuki. He could take them.

Leaping down to the ground Naruto began to build massive amounts of chakra. It continued to rise, higher and higher. It then skyrocketed.

At close to it's peak Naruto released a condensed blast, destroying the foliage around him, sending his chakra signature around the southern half of the country.

'This had better attract that bastard…or I'ma be pissed…'

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kisame jumped up from his stump seat and grabbed Samehada from the ground. Rokuheita was crouched in a defensive position, one hand out and the other on the senbon sticking out from his mouth.

Kisame's eye's bulged from their sockets and he began to mutter a string of expletives.

"What the HELL was that?"

Kenji closed his eyes in frustration.

"That…was Naruto, and it seems like he is very, very pissed. Pack up, we need to head out. Who knows what he's going to do in a pissed off mode? Luckily he's close…let's go."

Kisame nodded and hoisted Samehada over his shoulder following after Kenji as he began to disappear into the trees.

One thought graced his mind.

"Why the hell is that kid so strong?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Player-ism.

That was his word.

He was a player, no doubt. After having countless relationships, he was known as THE player of Sea Country. He basically had a new girl everyday. He could basically get any woman to fall for him.

All he had to do was put a little bit of player-ism in her life.

'Show a little bit of a cash, take her out to dine, take my time. Compliment her looks then the girl is mine.'

That was his player-ism motto.

It always worked. Sure some of the girls he had encountered had tried to play hard to get, but he was THE player. Hell, playing hard to get was nothing to him. Having so many encounters with those types of girls had honed his attitudes and actions toward them.

And hell, it always helped to be rich.

Hideo fingered the gold signet ring on his hand. Yes, it always helped to be rich.

He could get any girl to fall for him, all it took was a little time, and he was CONCINVED that this girl he had just found, Mitoko, would be no different. The only major flaw in his plan was of the course, the fact that she had a boyfriend, a missing nin.

After some digging around and talking to some of the other people at the countries conference, he had obtained some information on the two.

Mitoko and Naruto were part of the Shinobi Shinigamis, S class criminals, supposedly the most dangerous kind. This Naruto guy was a killer, one of the most powerful nin ever. That was all he could find. They were very secretive, and not like he would go ASK the Kazekage, hell he would probably kill him too.

Hideo paced around his room, gliding a hand over his silver chains and stuck his hands into his pockets. His shoulders slumped and his eyes squinted.

'Looks like player-ism's going to have come up with something big…'

………………………………………………………………………………………………

His hand jerked back as a blade was jabbed into his side. Eye's widening his whirled around his hand flailing around seeking to kill the attacker.

Sharingan eye's blazed into existence.

Sasori narrowed his eyes and leapt back. He had forgotten about the Uchiha. Things were going terribly wrong right now. It was time to abort this mission. Surely Leader-sama would understand.

Stepping back Sasori moved as if to unseal his puppets causing Itachi's Sharingan eyes to spin wildly.

"Sasori, today, you die for your crimes…"

The puppeteer laughed as he picked up the crumpled boy of his Sandaime Kazekage puppet.

"You think so Uchiha? Do those eyes see my death? Deidara might have been easy to kill, but me? I'm a whole different story, and another level."

Itachi stepped forward.

"Well Sasori, care to test that out? You were beat up pretty bad by Machi, luckily your overconfidence allowed me to escape. And even though those chains cut off my chakra…I think I'm well enough to use Mangekyou now."

Slowly moving forward his hands glided out from his cloak. He eyes froze and Mangekyou flashed into life.

"So Sasori what will it be?"

The puppeteer stepped back nervously. Yes it was true he was weak from the fight with Machi. It was no help Deidara was dead too. Stepping back again he sealed the Kazekage away.

"Well said Uchiha. I guess you win this fight for now; Akatsuki will be back for you though. Leader-sama's plans will not stop. You have been warned, good bye Uchiha."

Sasori stepped forward and then poofed out of sight, his voice echoing in the wind.

"You have been warned…"

Itachi shifted his eyes around as they morphed back to his regular Sharingan. Looking over to Machi he walked toward him. Checking his pulse he made sure he was not dead. Grabbing the fallen Katanas he lifted Machi and hoisted him over his back.

Damn this swordsman was heavy.

Lifting him Itachi looked at his surroundings. Glancing over Deidara's body he saw the glint of a ring on his finger. Stumbling from the weight of Machi he approached the dead blonde's body and plucked the ring from his finger.

'Better get out of here before Zetsu comes…'

Hoisting Machi tighter over his shoulders he tried to remember where exactly he was. He had this country mapped out in his mind.

After searching his mind for a moment he nodded in recognition and took off north.

First stop: Hospital.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Naruto gripped Kubikiri Houcho and looked out through the trees. Silently the pouches around his waist popped open, and Iron Sand began to pour out slowly drizzling onto the ground below.

Sliding his hand of the massive sword he felt the indentation. The place where the words were etched.

Kubikiri Houcho

Head Cleaver

Zabuza Momochi's sword. The first real opponent he had ever fought. A bloodthirsty man, a killer. But at the end he had redeemed himself, fighting for a just cause.

Flashback…………………………………………………………………………………...

_**Haku's body slumped to the ground. Naruto watched in horror as Gatou spat on it laughing maniacally, his henchmen behind him grinning.**_

_**Naruto turned to Zabuza screaming,**_

"_**Why? Why aren't you trying to help? You're just going to let him do that? WHATS WRONG WITH YOU?"**_

_**Zabuza looked on, his limp arms by his side,**_

"_**She was just a tool, nothing more, nothing less. Now that she is dead, she is no longer of use…"**_

_**Naruto bristled as tears came to his eyes,**_

"_**Why…why are you like this?"**_

_**Zabuza just looked at the laughing figure of Gatou and the masses of people behind him.**_

"_**WHY? SHE LIVED FOR YOU! Can't you understand that? She sacrificed everything, just for you…and you can't even honor her? She loved you…she did everything for you, wasn't that enough? Why aren't you stopping this…WHY?"**_

"_**WHY?"**_

_**The words echoed over the bridge, through Zabuza's heart and his mind.**_

_**His eyes watered.**_

"_**Enough kid…I get it…I get it…I understand…"**_

_**Ripping of the bandages around his mouth he bared his teeth,**_

"_**Kid, give me a kunai…"**_

_**Naruto nodded slightly and tossed the weapon toward Zabuza.**_

_**The Demon of the Mist caught it in his mouth, muttering a muffled,**_

"_**I guess this is how I go out…" That was only loud enough for Naruto to hear.**_

"_**Thanks kid…"**_

_**Killing intent filled the air as Zabuza gripped the Kunai in his mouth. Gatou's grin faded and he ran back toward his mercenary's hiding behind them.**_

_**Zabuza grinned and dashed toward the mercenary's. Weaving through them, he cut dozens down, their blood spilling over the pavement. Reaching Gatou his grinned widened as he cut through his throat. **_

_**Blood sprayed across his face.**_

_**Gatou's figure fell from the bridge as Zabuza staggered back through the mercenaries and to Haku. Collapsing next to her, he sighed and muttered,**_

"_**That was for you Haku…"**_

Flashback…………………………………………………………………………………

Gripping the hilt of the blade tighter Naruto looked back on Zabuza.

'I will make you proud…just watch me…'

A twig broke.

Naruto whirled around, the massive blade up and the Satetsu slithering around in the grass. Eyeing the opening in the bushes he waited for whatever it was to come out.

Rokuheita moved into sight, Kisame right behind him. Waving to Naruto he jutted his thumb back and motioned toward Kisame,

"Hey…I brought someone you might like to meet…"

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he leapt off the tree, Kubikiri still in his hand,

"And why would I want to meet an Akatsuki member?"

Kisame spoke up,

"Former Akatsuki member!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow and turned to Kenji, who just shrugged,

"Told you you'd want to meet him…"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jiraiya skimmed through another pack of documents. Sighing he picked one up and sat in the leather chairs of the Shinobi base.

"Well…what's this…a members name?"

Squinting at the document he eyed the name.

"Kazutoyo Machi…where have I heard that?"

Reaching into his robes he pulled out a small scroll and skimmed over it.

"Ah, here it is, Machi former Mist Seven Swordsman, has a daughter, Kazutoyo Mitoko…close comrade of Zabuza Momochi…hmm, so this is who's training Naruto? Interesting, I never would have thought. And this name sounds familiar too…Mitoko…isn't she working with the them too?"

"Jackpot…two members names, soon I can track down Naruto…"

Sticking the scroll and the paper into his robe he began to exit the base, walking through the deep chambers.

"I don't have to share this piece of information with Tsunade, much less Konoha…ha, like I would…this is going to be kept by me exclusively…I think it's time I sank into obscurity…"

Exiting the base he began to walk down the hill toward the sandy beach.

"I guess this is it…"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Gaara exited his sister's room.

He cared for his sister, she was always there for him, sure she was annoying sometimes, but she didn't deserve this.

His mind swirled with thoughts.

But one really stood out.

Uzumaki Naruto would pay…yup…he would pay…

Now Gaara wasn't as strong as Naruto per say…but he planned to punish Naruto in the name of his sister.

Yup, that worked.

Naruto would pay.

He really pitied him.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….


	12. Chapter 12

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Rain poured.

It poured and poured and poured.

The young man stumbled in the mud and came crashing down, his fall echoing through the forest.

The rain poured even harder.

Shadows loomed over the two lone figures that crashed through the wet and muddy forest, hair plastered to their faces, one unconscious and one dead tired.

The heavily cloaked young man let the figure on his back fall to the ground as he struggled to his feet.

The rain fell harder.

All he succeeded in doing was slipping over his long robes and falling face first into the mud.

He groaned as he rolled onto his back, his muscles tensed and cramped, his spirit damp, and his chakra dwindling rapidly. The raindrops pelted his face, harder and colder than any steel ever would.

His eyes closed as the blood began to mix with the water and mud, and taint the earth with its crimson color.

Struggling to his feet, he quickly discarded his long flowing cloak and placed his bloody and dirt caked hands into a seal.

His chakra began to gather in his body, flowing through the once almost empty coils, letting power course throughout his body. With this small amount of newfound strength he grabbed onto the muddy and slippery hands of the prone figure lying in the mud and water, now mixed with his blood. Looking around the young man spotted a clump of trees to his left, with ground underneath them that was being shielded from the rain, that was remarkable still dry.

Dragging the man through the mud he placed him on the dry ground and then collapsed next to him.

A day had passed.

It was supposed to be enough the kill the man beside him.

But as it turned out he was an exception. The will of the man was far more powerful than the poisons and the administers will, so he would hold out, for now.

Death was inevitable because with the poison so deep in his life now he would never fully heal. The man would be crushed when he heard that.

If he ever heard it.

The way it seemed now, the young man gave him a day to live.

He needed time.

But time was something they didn't have.

Regaining a little strength the young man crawled back out into the muddy and rainy world and retrieved the fallen mans swords, which were probably worth more to him than his life was.

Scrambling back underneath the trees he sighed as the water dripped down from his long black bangs and slowly fell to the ground, soaking into the dry dirt.

Dark skinned hands wrenched up and began to form seals, blurring out of sight. A small breath was blown out and then flames were ignited on the dry dirt. The warmth washed over the tired man and illuminated his face.

The fire burned brightly and black and gray swirls of smoke began to drift up. He inhaled deeply, letting the smoky smell fill his lungs, before he burst out in a coughing fit.

Quickly crawling away from the red and orange flames the man grabbed the dirty and muddy twin blades of the swordsman lying near him and thrust them into his belt. Letting out a sigh his hands moved toward the prone figure on the ground.

Stretching his cramped and tense muscles the man fastened his hands around the hulking figure and lifted him onto his shoulders.

Looking back once at the raging flames he dashed off into the rain, hoping that he still had time.

The steady thump of boots squishing through the mud and the thump of them running over wood echoed slightly through the surprisingly quite forest. No birds chirped, no animals scurried around, nothing.

Just the sound of rain.

It was almost as of the forest felt the emergency that the young man had on his hands, almost like they knew, that the man on his shoulders was going to die.

Reaching a bloody hand up to the swordsman's neck he roamed around, checking for some sort of pulse, anything to indicate he still had time.

Nothing.

He continued running hoping it was a mistake. He was close now; if he could just hold out…they could make it.

He felt again.

Nothing.

The red crimson beating of his heart faltered for a moment. 'Shit…'

He ran faster, as the mud and the water flew up around him, sending both spinning off onto the underbrush surrounding him.

'I can't save him now…'

'Shit…'

'Shit…'

Just like my family.

'Shit'

Akatsuki…

His breath was ragged as his speed increased, fueled by emotions that were running high.

'Shit'

Just like my family.

Flashback………………………………………………………………………………… 

_It was a surprise to him. At the time he didn't even know what Akatsuki was let alone their intentions, they hadn't gained enough power yet to be focused on by the shinobi world, or maybe they just didn't want to be discovered._

_**He though it was the latter.**_

_**But the name really held no significance with him, not like the names of Jiraiya, or Kakashi, or Orochimaru, or Tsunade or the Seven Mist Sworsmen.**_

_**It wasn't really important to him when he heard that name, he didn't really care about the deeper meaning behind it, or the terror it held.**_

_**Because he didn't know.**_

_**So when Shisui mentioned the Akatsuki from time to time, he didn't really care.**_

_**Until the Akatsuki tried to kill him.**_

_**The actual members didn't come after him, it was just Shisui. **_

_**They had indirectly ordered his death. **_

_**During his fight with Shisui, he had learnt a few things about the mysterious organization that Shisui **__**worshipped.**_

_**Twelve 'S' class missing nin, that worked to reform the world. From the words Shisui spoke, they were power freaks and only allowed the most powerful into their organization.**_

_**So their leader had ordered Shisui to kill his best friend.**_

'_**Why?' he had asked Shisui at the time.**_

'_**For the Mangekyou Sharingan.' He had responded.**_

_**But what really bothered him was that Shisui was too blind to see the strange order that their leader had issued.**_

_**How had somebody, more importantly an outsider from the clan, someone not even **__**living**__** in Konoha, known that killing your best friend would bring about the manifestation of a higher Sharingan level?**_

_**It was curious.**_

_**But he had no time at that particular moment to think about it.**_

_**So they had fought.**_

_**It was brutal, neither getting a distinct advantage, until Itachi landed a hit across Shisui's chest.**_

_**After that his best friend just looked at him wide eyed and blurred out of sight.**_

_The next day Shisui's body was found drowned to death._

_**Of course at the time everyone **__**thought**__** that it was his actual body, but now he knew different.**_

_**An elaborate blood clone, using a sacrifice was used to fake Shisui's death by the Akatsuki, this clone was similar to the ones the Akatsuki used when they did not want to engage directly when a sealing occurred. **_

_**The agents of the Akatsuki for the sake of the Sharingan faked Shisui's death.**_

_**Weeks after, the Uchiha Massacre took place. Akatsuki agents and Shisui moved in to slaughter the Uchiha's.**_

_**But how come nobody had heard the screams? How come no one had been alerted? How had the whole Uchiha clan, which possessed the Sharingan eye, been killed by a traitor and a few missing nin?**_

_**He still didn't know. At the time he didn't know that Akatsuki had taken part in the slaughter of the clan. **_

_Shisui had killed any Uchiha that was close to him in an attempt to gain the Mangekyou._

_**It worked.**_

_**Shisui gained the Mangekyou, and the first person he used it on was Sasuke. Genjustu made him replay a scene that never really happened. It made him replay Sasuke's older brother kill off his parent in front of his eyes.**_

_**Sasuke never knew any difference, after all, without any other Uchiha's alive, who would be able to tell difference?**_

_**After the use of Mangekyou liberally on Sasuke, Shisui had confronted him and**__**bragged about obtaining the ultimate Sharingan form.**_

_**He bragged that Akatsuki would accept him now.**_

_**He killed him on the spot. **_

_**As he had stepped over the dead body of Shisui he realized he was going to be executed, and that the blood of the Uchiha clan would be on his hands.**_

_**And so he fled, still with no idea that he had gained the Mangekyou, or that Akatsuki had ordered the annihilation of the Uchiha clan.**_

_So he fled, he fled, and sought out Akatsuki, looking for entrance into their organization._

_**He was gladly accepted; after all, they needed someone to replace Shisui, whose body mysteriously had disappeared.**_

_**Flashback end……………………………………………………………………………**_

He didn't know at the time, but now he did, all of his grief, his family's killing, everything, was the Akatsuki's fault.

And now he owed them **payback.**

'I couldn't protect them.'

'Fuck.'

'Cant I do _anything_ right?'

'Shi-**thump**'

He felt it…the swordsman's heartbeat, faint but still there. He still had time.

Rain poured harder as he exited the forest, facing a grassy flat land, with tall cliffs in the distance. Smiling slightly he ran harder toward the cliffs, knowing there would be a healer there.

One of the best he knew, she could basically heal anything and was on par with Tsunade. He knew that she would save the swordsman, and when he got there, he could finally sleep.

The katanas thrust in his belt clacked against his thigh.

Yes, she would heal him, and then they would look for Kisame, and start the downfall of Akatsuki. She was the best, cute, intelligent, and strong, if he didn't know better, he'd say he liked her.

But he was Uchiha Itachi.

He didn't like.

Smiling to himself, he ran faster toward the cliffs.

After all, after seven years, Rin never did change homes.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Double Dice Club In Tea Country A Day After The Summit Meetings 

Double Dice Club was THE place to be in Tea Country. It was high-class, the music and the atmosphere were perfect and all of the celebrities showed up there.

It was one of hi favorites spots to hang in.

What made it better was that he owned it.

Hey, it paid to be rich.

The Countries leader's younger entourage had decided to go to a club after the summit meetings. So, as courtesy of Sea Country, he had decided to all get them in free at Double Dice.

But the main reason for the club was to get closer to Mitoko. Hey, he had to play dirty right? After all, how would player-ism make a comeback? How would he stand up to the Naruto guy? He had no choice but to play dirty.

And that's what them pills in his pocket were for.

He watched as she crossed the dining room, her body swaying seductively. Gold chains glinted in the light as he signaled for the waiter to bring him two glasses and a bottle of champagne.

Moment later the waiter returned with the drinks and set them on the table next to him.

The bass was pumping and he watched the dancers in the club. The music was loud and they had wine served up at the bar. The speakers blared, threatening to break his eardrums. The D.J in the front was mixing it up, making a perfect dance floor groove. A club banger in current terms.

Pouring himself some of the golden liquid out of the bottle he looked across the room at Mitoko. In his mind she was a goddess.

And he intended to snag this goddess, after all, if he couldn't, what was all the money, the nice cars, the comfortable surroundings, the alcohol, worth, if he couldn't snag one girl?

Taking a sip of the champagne he sighed a little and leant back in his chair, resting his feet on the stool in front of him.

The D.J switched songs.

Sliding a hand into his pocket he fingered the small white pills. Would he really resort to that? He had thought about it a long time.

He didn't just want to have sex with her; he wanted her to love him, to be there for him. He wanted to be hers, and he wanted her to be him, he needed her it seemed, and he wanted her to need him…but sex was good too.

He had to get rid of that Naruto person, and get him away from her life.

And he had the perfect plan.

Motioning to the bouncer in corner he called him over.

The hulking man in the black suit lumbered over.

"Yeah boss?"

He motioned him closer and whispered,

"Tell 'Him' to be in the room in an hour, I'll be there with the girl, got it?"

The bouncer nodded and walked off, and out the club door, another bouncer taking his position.

Sighing contentedly he almost missed Mitoko walk past him. Eyes widening he grabbed her hand. She whirled around and looked at him.

"Care for a drink lovely?"

Mitoko eyed him for a moment before sliding into the seat next to him. He poured her a glass of the alcohol and sat back.

She didn't know what hit her.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The three men stood slightly apart. The blond one was shaking his head. He took a long drag of the cigarette.

"You mean to tell me, that the Akatsuki set you up?"

The blue shark man nodded slightly.

"And that the Mizukage was a puppet of the Akastuki before he was killed?"

Another nod.

"And that all of the Seven Mist Swordsman were set up?"

A sigh and then another nod.

"And that you joined because it was your last choice?"

"YES Godammit, are you going to ask questions to answers I've already told you ALL DAY??????"

The blond wasn't fazed and just took another drag of his cigarette letting it hang out of his mouth. Stretching his limbs he sighed and took another drag, and another, and another. The cigarettes were just that good.

Kenji looked at him, waiting for a signal, and Kisame leant against his sword, waiting for a response.

Naruto took another drag and leant on _Kubiki Houcho,_

"Well, Kisame, we'll take you, and help you out with Itachi…on one condition."

Kisame perked up and grinned, showing his rows of sharp teeth,

"What's the condition?"

Naruto tossed his cigarette to the floor and stomped on it, putting it out instantly.

"You have to help us eliminate Akatsuki…"

Kisame stared at Naruto for a moment, letting the statement wash over him. Shaking his head slightly he sighed and closed his tired eyes. When he opened them, the tired, weary look was gone, replaced with determination and a killer's gaze. He put his arm out and offered a hand to Naruto.

The blond took it, smiling at the same time.

"Welcome to the Shinobi Shinigamis consider us, **family**, consider yourself**, my brother.**"

Kisame's eyed widened slightly and this proclamation and he felt his chakra stir.

Family.

My Brother.

Kisame let the warmth of these words wash over him. His life hadn't had family in it. The closest thing to family he had ever had was the Seven Mist Swordsmen, and after they had been forced to disband, everything had gone bad for him.

_**Flashback…………………………………………………………………………………..**_

_**The Seven Swordsmen of the Mist had been attending an event as guard for the Mizukage.**_

_**He still didn't know how it happened.**_

_**One minute they were standing behind the Mizukage and the next they were fighting for their lives. Dozens upon dozens of enemies had attacked the stunned swordsmen and the small entourage, killing a swordsman in training and wounding a few other members. **_

_**After the first death the shock wore off, and the Swordsmen unleashed their powers. He had been at the front of the entourage and was the first to notice the Mizukage was missing. **_

_**He had barged through the attackers, killing a few and ran down the hall, disappearing from the view of the rest of the swordsmen. **_

_**He entered the next room and found the dead bodies of the daimyos of Water Country. Shocked he looked around for the Mizukage before exiting the room only to be face to face with Machi and two more Swordmen**_

_**After quickly explaining they split, Machi with Kisame and the other two went their own way, and began to sweep the building.**_

_**He had run down the stairs going to a lower level when a series of explosions had rocked the building. He watched Machi freeze and look at him. Nodding they split and went separate ways.**_

_**He had continued downwards and reached the last level where the rest of the entourage was.**_

_**Dead.**_

_**All dead.**_

_**He looked around, shocked. **_

_**The swordsmen were missing and the enemies and entourage were slaughtered.**_

_**That was all he remembered seeing. After that, he was knocked unconscious.**_

_**He awoke in a dark room, a spotlight shining right next to him, and the sound of a thousand voices echoing, with one pronounced word.**_

'_**Guilty'**_

_**He jerked to focus and saw the swordsmen on either side of him bound, gagged and kneeling. The booming voice spoke again.**_

"_**Momochi Zabuza, for attempting a cout'de'tat against the Mizukage and massacre of the **_

_**Entourage of the Mizukage**_

_**Evidence.**_

_**A screen was brought out and an image projected onto the screen, there was no sound just the moving images of Zabuza yelling at the Mizukage and then attacking. Then images of Zabuza killing members of the Mizukage's guard mercilessly, and laughing as their blood splashed onto his face.**_

_**The voice spoke again.**_

"_**Guilty."**_

_**Again and again, the voice spoke**_

"_**Guilty, Raiga Kurosuke, for consorting with the enemy and slaughtering the Mizukage's family."**_

_**Guilty**_

_**Guilty, for blowing up the Mizukage building.**_

_**Guilty**_

"_**Hoshigaki Kisame, for Killing the Daimyo's of Water Country."**_

_**Evidence.**_

_**The screen flashed and showed Kisame standing over the dead bodies of the Daimyo's blood dripping down the massive sword in his hand and a maniacal grin on his face. The screen switched scenes and showed Kisame from the back stabbing a Daimyo through the stomach. **_

"_**Guilty."**_

_**He had been shocked at the time, because all of the swordsmen were convicted and they had done none of the acts shone of the screen. Kisame hadn't killed the Daimyo's; Raiga hadn't killed the Mizukage's family. What the hell was going on?**_

"_**Kazutoyo Machi, for killing the Mizukage."**_

_**A collective gasp ran throughout the dark room, except for the swordsmen, they knew it wasn't true; they had figured it out since the start of the trial what this was.**_

_**They all knew.**_

_**It was a set-up, carefully planned, and skillfully executed.**_

_**The screen flashed, showing Machi standing over the body of the dead Mizukage, his blades tainted with blood and a wild look in his eyes. Then the screen flashed to a image of Machi beheading the Mizukage.**_

"_**Guilty."**_

_**And that was all he knew.**_

_**Days later, Zabuza had broken them out of jail, and they all went their separate ways, eager to be away from the atrocities of Water Country.**_

_**He joined Akatsuki shortly afterwards.**_

Flashback end…………………………………………………………………………… 

Yet he never knew until a week ago, that the leader of Akatsuki masterminded the whole thing.

Machi did kill the Mizukage.

Zabuza did attempt to kill the Mizukage and did kill the entourage.

One of the Swordsmen did destroy the Mizukage Tower.

But all in a good name.

The Mizukage was a puppet of Akatsuki. The entourage set up the ambush. The tower was a meeting place for agents.

The whole thing was an elaborate plan to draw power away from the country and recruit nin.

The reason he wasn't living happily somewhere, having a family, a son, a career, was because of the master plan of the Akatsuki.

He leapt up, following Naruto out of the small clearing and through the trees. Naruto was his family now, and family always stuck together, no matter how bad it got.

He would follow Naruto through and through, and never betray him. Naruto had given Kisame some will to fight, and by god he was going to do so.

And anyway he owed Akatsuki some payback.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

He stumbled across the floor his hand on her ass and led her to the next floor, his drunken voice whispering in her ear about all of the things he would do to her. Her hand was on his chest and roaming steadily down, and all the while she was giggling, her drunken breath permeating the air.

'Those pills really did work…'

They stumbled drunkenly up to the stairs of the club. He grabbed her hand and led her across the hall as they stumbled into the wall. She giggled and moved in on him, letting her lips brush over his.

Moments later they were in a furious lip-lock, their hands roaming over each other's bodies, touching and grabbing and pulling. They crashed through the door and entered a room specially made for this occasion.

Quickly undressing he pinned her on the bed and began to tear off her clothes, smirking at the sound of her moaning. He gazed over her naked form and positioned himself to enter.

After this it was going to be all over, there would be no more memory of Naruto in her brain. It would be all him, he was sure. It was a done deal, he had used a lot of money for this, and it was guaranteed to work

After all, that's what the Yamanaka in the next room was for.

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	13. Chapter 13

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Discliamer: I don't own 'Naruto'

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He staggered forward, eye's wide, mouth parched. The chest was bare and the sun shone brightly, even in the evening, going down slowly, in contrast the pouring rain the day before. The elements were raging,

Just like the killer in his body.

His black hair hung down about his face dripping sweat down and down and down, slowly in sporadic drops, hitting the dry dirt immediately soaking in.

His hands clenched and his vision grew hazy, jolting in and out of focus.

He grabbed onto the body tighter as he neared the towering cliffs, his eyes searching for the opening in the granite walls, looking for anything.

Anything

Any sign to indicate she was still there.

Any sign of their last chance at life.

Wincing slightly as his knee cracked, he began running, gritting his teeth from the pain, his Sharingan flashing in an out of existence, searching.

He neared the towering granite monstrosities and felt his neck crack. And then another crack, and another, and another. He winced as a jolt of pain ran through his body, and grunted as his ribs cracked suddenly, giving out under the pressure of the swordsman's muscled and lean body.

He felt himself falling, slowly, as if suspended, as if the force of gravity didn't want one such as him to fall.

But he did.

He hit the dirt with a sickening crack and his eyes twitched desperately trying to stay awake, trying to muster up the last of his strength to the finish the job he had started. He felt his chest crush and multiple objects pierce through him. The swordsman's body fell off his, plopping to the ground, and rolling over, so that he could just hear the faint breathing of the man, the only sign that he was still alive, and that he still had time.

But with his condition now, he wouldn't live to see the next day.

They would both be lost souls.

He felt his conscious fade and his power sap as his body went limp, his life fading. He could see it now, the light, the warm white light and he was drawn to it. The strain from he had put on his body for the last two days had driven him to the edge.

And for perhaps the first time in his life he felt the falling, the sliding, and his life fading toward the dark but at the same time entering the light.

He tried to breath, couldn't, his lungs felt crushed, he rolled onto his back and looked at his chest, he could see the blood.

He was dying.

It was a feeling he had never felt before.

It was an alien state of mind.

Akatsuki's torture sessions had done more to him that he had previously known, or cared to acknowledge

He felt it, a weakening, a closing, all things ending now slowly and steadily.

Death.

He looked at Machi's body. Another representation of one more person he could never save. His mind drifted, remembered the Uchiha massacre, his dead mother.

He closed his eyes on that image and sank down in the dark, ready for death, knew it was coming but it did not. He thought he heard footsteps but shook it off as imagination and hallucination. He let out a raspy and strangled breath. The energy in him failed.

He felt himself flicker momentarily and then was lost in the moment, long, slow and quiet. The light faded. The darkness consumed him.

Life faded. Just another life that wasn't worth much in the first place. Just another life.

Another Kid.

Another Teen.

Another Adult.

Another Son.

Another Brother.

Another Friend.

Another Companion.

Another Shoulder To Lean On.

Another Human Being.

Soon just to be another memory. Just a lump of dirt in the ground, being seen by the symbol of some obscure mark known by just a few people in this universe.

Him, the man he died with, and the Kami's above.

Or just another person doomed to die, without a burial, without a grave, without a marker.

Doomed to die in the heat, being picked away by carrion bird, and the last remainder of you, the bones of your body, swept away by time, carrying you across the world, farther, and farther away from where you wanted to be.

Forever, for an eternity, roaming the world, forgotten by mankind.

Just another death.

Silence.

Night Fell.

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Outcast from his clan.

That's what he was. He had never been accepted by his conceited clan, let alone helped to develop his skills. All development in his supreme skills and all knowledge he had gained were from his constant practice and studying.

His clan had the unique secret ability to manipulate minds to a large extent.

And he had taken that secret and sold it to the highest bidder.

No one had helped him develop in the village. While there he showed no signs of having the clan bloodline at all, so he was cast out, to fend for himself.

Ultimately he left.

He wasn't a ninja when he had left, so being marked as a missing nin, was none of his concern.

He wasn't even in the bingo book.

After his departure, the manifestation of his bloodline really bloomed, and his life of a ninja finally began.

Soon after he became well adapted to mind controlling other people, and soon, was making a name for himself in the underground world.

Now he was the most powerful Yamanaka in history. He knew his way in and out of every type of human being in the world. With just a glance and a look into your mind, he could kill you.

The underground business world flocked to him. They needed to topple other businessmen, and so they bid for his services, letting him pick from the company with the most money. Then, he set off the complete his mission, whether it be killing someone, or 'negotiating' a contract, he always finished.

Today was no exception.

Looking around the room he was in, the man cast aside the long flowing robes on him and threw them to the floor. Drawing a gold pocket watch from within the confines of his chest pocket, he quickly noted the time.

One minute until go time.

He was being paid a lot of money for this. That's all he was in it for. He admitted he was already obscenely rich, but anything extra was good.

He wasn't attached to any client in his business; the risk was just too much. A life of a person such as he wasn't meant to be comfortable. People like him weren't meant to be attached. He was no exception. Even his life, with all his wealth, was rough.

But he did his job; he was perhaps one of the most dangerous shinobi of all time. If you didn't know him, and he was assigned to kill you, you would be dead.

The virtues of being an underground nin, not even in the bingo book, were endless.

That's what made him so dangerous.

But this job was just as easy as countless other ones he had done.

He supplied the pills, the plan, the alcohol, and the mind wipe.

Everything.

The objects he used in his operation were only the finest and most powerful of their kind. The pills alone cost him a fortune, and the alcohol close to another one.

Hallucinogenic, mixed with drugs to knock you out, and make you so plastered you wouldn't remember **anything**…not even the fact that you had drank, for months. Only a lot of money bought drugs and alcohol like that.

But it was no biggie, the money didn't matter.

Nothing compared to the money he would receive for this job.

But even with the money he would receive, he couldn't help but feel sorrow for the person he would be mind wiping.

Losing your memories was always heartbreaking.

If you ever remembered you lost your memories.

His conscious would kill him for this later.

Sighing he slipped his hand in his pocket again and pulled out the watch. He looked down at the sparkling gold and quickly snapped it shut.

Show time.

Gathering up his senses he focused and strolled to the door, ready to perform the mind wipe. Opening the door he stepped out of the room and into the empty hall. Looking around he stepped a door to his left and opened it.

His face-hardened as he analyzed the scene in front of him.

"I told you to get her here and let the drugs do the rest…"

He paused, looking over the two figures.

"…Not try to rape her while you're at it you damn fool!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Apparently death didn't want him yet.

He jolted awake; his body in pain, feeling like thousands of knives had been plunged through his skin. A sure sign that he was still alive. He tried to move experimentally, his hand, his hand wouldn't move. He tried again but felt nothing.

Then he realized he couldn't see.

Panicked filled him as he struggled to move. A hand was placed on his chest and it forced him down. He struggled more but it was to no avail. He felt chakra surge into him forcing him to stop moving.

Chakra flowed to his eyes.

The blood red Sharingan flashed into the young man's eyes as he felt a jolt of pain run through him. Black pupils stared out into a black void. He still couldn't see.

Then light rained down upon him.

Brownish, red hair met his eyes. He squinted as the light met his Sharingan pupils, blaring into his senses. His eyes focused on a familiar face. Make up grazed her cheeks, hair hung low over her eyes in bangs; a cool, smooth white hand was on his forehead, calming him.

Exactly how he remembered.

This was Rin.

Itachi sighed contentedly knowing he was in good hands. The woman smiled slightly and began to force more chakra into Itachi, soothing his burning body.

"Well Itachi, now that you're awake, need something to drink?"

He tried to speak but found his mouth was just too dry. Trying to loosen his jaws he just nodded. Rin disappeared out of his sight momentarily before re-appearing before him with a glass of water clasped in her smooth hands. Itachi studied her appearance.

Age had been kind to Rin. She was still as beautiful as she had been in her younger days. Her hair still shone, showing off the silky locks that decorated her head. He roamed Sharingan eyes over her.

His eyes could pick out the small wrinkles scattered over her skin, but they were barely noticeable. Her skin was still as smooth and beautiful as it had been before. She still retained her womanly figure, which was accentuated by the tight fitting shirt she wore over her body.

Slim, muscular waist, hips, and full breasts, and a skirt was over her legs that were white and long, and she still carried herself with dignity, unlike other shinobi that had been around for too long. Her brown eyes carried warmth, far more warmth that Shinobi of that era, most held coldness, a dull brown quite like the color of veal, but hers, held warmth, eye's you could get lost in, and stay in, forever.

Her lips were full and a light pink. Itachi's stared at them, for perhaps a little too long.

Fighting a blush down he looked away from her and acknowledged the glass of water in her hands.

Itachi nodded and reached out to grasp the glass from Rin with his still numb hands, but she just shook her head and proceeded to do it her way.

Placing it to his lips she tilted it back letting the cool liquid flow into his parched mouth. She waited until he had enough and then drew the glass away. Smiling gratefully Itachi laid his head back again and stared at her. Rin placed the glass to the side and focused her attention on him. Her silky voice rang through Itachi's ears,

"Now, Itachi care to tell me why you and your companion were found outside at sundown, almost dead, and why your companion is a former Mist Seven Swordsman?"

"Go ahead, take your time", she gestured around, "We have plenty…"

Itachi sighed and took a deep breath, settling more comfortably into the bed he lay in,

"Well Rin-san, it started like this…"

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He looked out of the window of his room. He could faintly hear the music bumping in the club across from his hotel. Temari was there, getting get groove on. She deserved it, with the events within the last week, stress had to have built.

He swiveled in his leather chair and turned to the man sitting across from him. Red hair glinting in the dimly lit room he sank into the chair and leant back, staring intently at the man.

"So…you want me to tell you where…Naruto is?"

His voice was as frosty as a cold winter night; it almost made the man in front of him shiver. The man slowly settled into his chair and shook his hair a little bit before taking a drink of the sake lying on the table and speaking,

"Straight to the point eh Gaara? Yes, I need to know where he is. It's about Akatsuki…"

The Kazekage's eyebrow's rose and he leant forward his sand swirling on the ground in anticipation.

"Akatsuki…tell me…"

The other man laughed lightly before taking another drink of the clear blue bottle and nodding,

"Have you noticed that lately Akatsuki's been quiet?"

The redhead nodded as the man continued,

"Akatsuki's been quiet, and the elemental countries have been getting rile up lately, from Konoha's nomination of a new Hokage, to Stone's increase in hostility and the controversy brewing in Mist…something is going on."

He paused and took another draft of sake.

"My information network had reported that Akatsuki is going to convene together in two weeks, in Wave Country, apparently a new hideout. I need a group of shinobi to be there to eliminate them."

Gaara looked at him, eyes shining curiously.

"You need shinobi…why?"

The man sighed and drank some more sake,

"With Leaf tied down, all I can count on is other countries and groups, that's why I need him…"

Gaara stood, his sand slithering back into the gourd in the corner of the room.

"Well, you can count me in, I need some action once in a while…we had best depart now if you hope to find him…"

The white haired man's face broke into a wide grin.

"Does that mean you'll help Gaara?"

The red head nodded slightly and moved toward window, wrenching it open and sticking his head out into the cold clear night.

"You had better be right, Jiraiya…"

He leapt out of the window and hit the ground in a swirl of sand, his eyes cold and calculating. Shortly afterwards the Toad Sannin followed after him, and they both disappeared into the night, in search of one elusive blond.

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Machi's dreams had always haunted him

It was his killer, his maker, nightmares had taken him, and shaped him, and forged him into what he was today:

A killer, a ruthless fighter, a loving father, a loyal companion.

Nightmares about his real life had shaped him, more than his own experiences. Because while his own real life situations could be changed, nightmares couldn't be manipulated. They haunted him. In nightmares everything, always went bad.

People died more often than not in his mind, more than they did in real life. Often times he would awake in the middle of the night, broke out in a cold sweat, his eyes wild and his shaking hands gripping his blades.

It hurts you…when this happens everyday.

It hurts you when you wake up to find yourself choking your best friend to death, and hastily pull your hands away from him and look away, scared of what they will think. Scared of what they will label you as. Scared of what you will become.

It hurts even more when they leave you.

Now Machi wandered his mind, facing images of people in his past. His family, his father, his wife. He wandered in the images of people he had killed, enemies, once close friends. It was the march of the dead.

All of them coming back to haunt him, to remind him that he still lived, while they were dead, to remind him that his day would come soon. That it should have been today, that it still could be today, that it should have been him, instead of them, and that he had nothing to live for.

They twisted his emotions, his thoughts and his ties.

But all of those voices were fought. Fought by his will, reminding him he still had something. Reminding him he still had something to protect and something he was willing to die for.

His daughter.

His connection to her was stronger than anything.

He was a father and it was his duty to protect her.

When a feeling of distress had echoed through his mind, he was shocked.

That alone was enough to waken him from his semi-coma.

Dark eyes snapped open and he jolted up, ignoring the pain coursing through his body.

"Mitoko!"

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Itachi continued with his tale, letting every detail from his desertion to his encounter with Machi known to the kind woman.

"I held Sasori off long enough to grab Machi and leave before Zetsu-huh?"

"Mitoko!"

Itachi and Rin both whipped their heads around, looking over to Machi's corner of the room. Their eyes widened as they beheld the sweating, upright form of the Swordsman's body. His eyes were wide and wild, and his pupils dilated to a huge extent. His hands grasped his two blades that lay on his bed and his eyes were fixed on the far side of the wall.

Rin got up from her spot near Itachi and ventured close to the massive swordsman. Nearing Machi she tried to draw his attention. She snapped her fingers.

No response.

She clapped, stomped, called out his name, tapped his shoulder, used smelling salts, incense.

Nothing.

Frustrated she smacked him on the shoulder roughly.

The audible smack of the hit echoed through the room.

Within a second she was forced onto the cold stonewall, a glinting blade aimed toward her face, and a large hand around her throat, cutting off her breathing. She gasped for breath and looked up into the swordsman's cold eyes and faintly heard Itachi's yelling throughout the room.

His eyes shifted from side to side as Rin gasped for breath again and tears began to leak out. Noticing her tears he realized what he was doing and lifted his hand from her throat and focused on her face.

"Where am I?"

"Where's my daughter?"

Rin crumpled to the ground, her eyes watering and her mouth desperately gasping for breath.

Itachi's voice broke through the scene,

"Machi, what the hell are you doing? You're safe, she saved you, what is your problem?"

The swordsman whirled around, looking over to Itachi's form that was lying on another bed. Lifting his two blades he looked over to the woman's prone form and then back to Itachi.

Backing up he slowly shook his head.

"Itachi…what happened to you?"

Itachi just shifted in his bed and looked away. Machi looked over to Rin who was struggling to her feet and slowly lowered his blades.

"Well, you look like sh-**cough"**

Machi watched as blood flew from his mouth and hit the stone floor. Eyes widening he dropped his weapons and grasped his chest. Backing up into the wall he slowly sunk to the ground, still clutching his chest.

He faintly heard his name being yelled and a cool hand run over his forehead. A warm feeling flowed through his body, before he promptly passed out.

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A weight was sitting on the end of his bed. He could hear metal clinking, feet shifting and low whispers. Slowly opening his eyes he caught the outline of a woman standing over him and a male figure sitting on the edge of his bed.

Noticing his waken form Rin turned to Machi a small frown on her face. Machi looked up at her and questioned,

"What happened to me?"

He felt Itachi shift on the foot of his bed and stand up, walking over to his side.

Rin looked on with sad eyes.

"Machi…I ran some scans after you started coughing blood…and…"

The swordsman grew annoyed at the constant pausing and growled,

"Just hurry up and spit it out woman…you're wasting time!"

Rin just shook her head.

"I'm sorry…but because of the tainted weapons that pierced you and the poison ingested into your bloodstream, you have received a powerful strain tuberculosis, I am sincerely sorry…there is no cure, you'll just have to live out life as long as you can, there is a slim chance of cure…but I doubt it…"

Machi just lay still soaking in the meaning of these words.

"I'll…still be able to be a shinobi…right?"

Rin just closed her eyes, a small tear running down her cheek. Machi turned to Itachi looking at him.

"Well? I'll be able to continue right?"

Itachi looked straight into his eyes,

"Machi…if you fight too hard…you'll start coughing blood…"

Machi just looked annoyed and yelled out,

"So? I've coughed a lot of blood in my time, what makes it different this time?"

Itachi looked away…his Sharingan eyes flashing into existence.

"This time Machi…you cough up too much blood…and you die."

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"…Not try to rape her while you're at it you damn fool!"

Hideo looked back as he heard the voice and saw the Yamanaka agent in his doorway. Turning back to the woman in front of him who was still giggling he waved a hand airily,

"Hey man, I'm going to have some fun here, just leave me alone, I'll be do-urghhh!"

Hideo was thrown roughly off the bed and into the plaster walls behind it. Scrambling to his feet he looked into the cold eyes of the man he had hired.

"What the hell is your problem, I was just going to have fun, chill man, don't forget that I hired YOU…got it?"

The man walked into the room, red and black highlighted hair glowing eerily in the room. He advanced to where Hideo was sprawled on the floor. Scrambling back, Hideo back himself into the wall.

"You FOOL…if you wanted to do this correctly, you would have followed my complete advice, and not tried to rape her…"

Hideo looked up with anger in his eyes,

"What do you mean? What difference does it make if I had or not?"

The man's eyes hardened even more and his aura became more threatening.

"Because, you imbecile…that if you had engaged in intercourse before the mind wipe…it wouldn't have worked…and if you had…"

Hideo held his breath in, waiting for the last words.

"She would have died…"

The man proceeded to walk over to Mitoko and knock her out, carefully redressing her. Placing her on the floor and moving the bed out of the way he sat on the chair in the corner.

Turning to Hideo he sighed.

"Your lucky I stopped you…get dressed…I will begin shortly…"

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They crossed Fire Countries border and entered Tea, running quickly, eager to be away from the ruthless border patrols.

After two or three miles into Tea they stopped for a quick break. Breaking out a bottle of water, Naruto took a deep draft and turned to his two comrades. Sitting on a stump he looked over them, his mind lost in thought.

The moon shone brightly over the three companions. Kenji had broken out a senbon set and was quietly whittling away at them. Kisame had _Samehada_ across his lap and was polishing it. Looking up he scanned over his two companions.

Kisame noticed Naruto's look and raised a question,

"Yo, Naruto, what are you thinking of kid?"

The blond just shook his head slightly and sighed. Kenji looked up from his senbon sharpening and focused on Naruto.

"Yeah, you've been pretty quiet this whole trip, what's going on?"

Naruto's two companions had their attention focused on him. Sighing he took another swig of the bottle. Looking up, his companions were surprised to see a haunted look in his eyes and a shadow across his face.

"Have you…ever though about what you were going to do with your life?"

Kisame quirked an eyebrow and stopped polishing _Samehada._

"I'm not sure what you mean kid…"

"I mean, have you ever though about…the future…your goals in life…what you wanted to be? I used to have the dream to be Hokage…but that dream was snatched away from me. I have a dream to be with Mitoko now, but…what am I going to do with my life? Do I keep living life as a missing nin…or do I do something else…have you ever though about this kind of stuff?"

Kisame and Kenji exchanged glances before the former Akatsuki member responded,

"I see where your getting with this kid…you want to know what to do with your life…and you want to think about what your life will be in the future…correct?"

The blond nodded slightly as Kenji took over.

"Naruto, we used to be like you…thinking about our futures, our goals, what we wanted to do with our lives. Things didn't turn out the way we planned it…that's why we're missing nin now. Take Machi for example…wife…kid…he wanted to settle down…but life intervened. It's the same with most missing nin."

Kisame leant back against the tree, grabbing _Samehada _and lifting it,

"Kid…all of the Swordsmen had goals in their lives…we all had ends we were working to achieve…Zabuza, me, Machi…everyone…but a shinobi's life…is hectic at best…live life for today…not tomorrow, not yesterday…stay focused on now. Zabuza had dreams, and those dreams are embodied in his blade, it symbolizes his life, and his struggle."

He twirled his blade around, letting the moonlight catch it

"You were there when Zabuza had his life taken from him. I know you watched this happen and I also know you watched Haku's death at your former sensei's hands"

Naruto twitched as those memories surfaced in his mind.

"Naruto…you now…carry on Zabuza's will…his struggle."

The young blond looked over to Kisame who was leaning against the tree, his eyes glazed over, thinking of the past. Naruto quirked an eyebrow at the Swordsman's words.

"Naruto…the blade chose you…Zabuza's blade isn't a sentient body like mine…I know for a fact…but…that blade has a will of it's own. It chose you…you had…the same life Zabuza had…he was an outcast…and brought himself up from the gutter. That blade chose you…because you represent the same type of struggle. A struggle with the demon inside you…"

Kisame paused and looked over at Naruto, who now had Kubikiri Houcho in his hands and was looking at it with wide eyes.

"A struggle you need to win…you have so many things going on in your life…that you can't clear your mind…that's your lesson…don't think of the past…nor the future…focus on the present...throw caution to the wind…race through life…"

Kisame stopped, and looked at the massive blade in his hands and closed his eyes, murmuring,

"Because you never know what might happen tomorrow…"

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	14. Chapter 14

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any song lyrics that I use. All credit lies with Masashi Kishimoto, and in order of lyrics, Chamillionaire, Famous, Will Smith Mary J. Blige, D12 and Eminem.

Lyrics are in _italics. _Chapter focuses on fleshing out _mentality._

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_Its just pain._

Its just pain.

_Its just pain._

_And it's a part of the game_

The water dripped, falling over the stones of his mind and he stopped, running a hand through his blonde hair.

I try to call up…his name 

_Then he says all you do is complain_

_Its just pain_

It's just pain It's just pain 

_And it's a part of the game_

Being a shinobi, being just a pawn, in a world of deceit, death, betrayal and politics. Shinobi, what a joke…

Glory? There was no glory.

Only blood and guts.

Fame? There was no fame.

Only fear.

Power?

Only death.

They say love is power.

But how come love can never seem to conquer hate?

Protect your precious people?

Bullshit.

_The industry is a robber_

_My mental be really bothered_

_Not talking to any callers, escaped the clutches of pover-ty_

_Close to my mother, ain't really close to my father_

_The more I became a baller, the more I seen him get farther_

Cuz I don't trust you enough to let inside of my mind 

_And even if I let you in couldn't handle what you would find,_

_I done been through serious times, I don't care if you think I'm lyin…_

And what would some say, about this mentality? He listened as the water dripped some more and his footsteps echoed in the vast recesses of his mind. The power of the being housed in him radiated from the somewhere in there.

The epitome of death.

A creature caught with him, in a game of politics.

A creature responsible for the death of thousands.

And yet wanted by more people in the world than he could imagine. After all, if the village had wanted him dead…why wasn't he killed?

To be a weapon.

The thought echoed in his mind.

…_They want you and they want me as well_

_And the day that it happened to me, it was hell_

_And you had to know that I hated it, I'm hated, I'm irritated_

_It's loud and it's getting crowded,_

_My space is being invaded…_

Akatsuki, a group composed of drafted loners, and incredibly powerful nin…who had found the truth in obtaining power.

To use a demon as a weapon.

Truly a genius idea on their part, not that they had been the first to think of it.

They had just been to first to succeed.

…Sometimes I wished that we could fight 

_When I hit them pearly gates…_

Precious people?

They had been the ones to hurt him, and yet he still found it in his heart, to become attached again.

It was inevitable for him.

But all good things must come to an end, and things had been good as of late. 

_Just don't tell me to take a hike_

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The two parties's clashed, unknowingly, and the images flashed before him.

What was a shinobi village based on, what were a shinobi's true purposes in life?

The fog lifted around his brain, and he watched.

_Any topic I rock it, like cookin up powder_

_All green got me intrigued and looking up power hour, _

_Society got us jammed like swuckas,_

_Play dumb in front of the cameras to catch us suckers,_

It only get worse, they feed on our need to believe that we need to believe that we free, We don't see they **deceive** with the words that they speak,

_Pose as __**friends**__ but they spies in disguise, _

_**Enemies**__ is what I call em._

More images flashed across. That was the case. He tried to picture himself, the massive sword known as Samehada strapped to his back, a child by his side…his child by his side.

Both with smiles on their faces.

The image was washed out in a sea of blood.

Screams pierced the darkness around him as the images began to warp. His heart clenched.

Death.

Destruction.

People he had loved.

Brutally killed.

Love is power?

Bullshit. You could strive to become better to protect what you loved.

But, what happens when what you love…is killed before your eyes, what will you strive for then?

Revenge can only take you so far, and then what?

What do you live for?

_Rather see us behind walls than ballin_

_It's all in they plan for the future_

_Keep us blind to the laws_

_Keep our eyes on the…_

_Keep our mind off the…_

_Don't hesitated and we'll shoot ya…_

_Like a dog in the street_

_And through the fog what I see is how they keep our brains clogged like a sink…_

The thrill of the fight? The game of life and death?

That was it?

Keep your game face on and keep going?

_When it rains it pours (when it rains it pours)_

_Sunshine is what I can't enjoy (cant enjoy)_

_Just when I think it's gonna slow down_

_Is when it rains some more (let it rains some more)_

_Let it rain some more _

A little rain will never change ya boy (change ya boy) 

_You know my game face is on_

_And you can see I never take it off…_

Your mind becomes shattered and you wander.

You wander, and your nightmares kill you and you hurt, you're wounded.

And yet you can't heal that wound.

So you kill.

You kill to relieve that stress.

And all the while, your game face…

Is on.

And then what?

What do you do, when you run out of options? When you finally get sick of what you're doing, and snap?

…_I ain't livin right…_

Why then…then…you follow Uzumaki Naruto.

You follow, because he's given you new resolve.

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Your life has been a lie.

You've seen death.

You've comeback from the brink of death.

And yet nobody knows.

You're just one nin, one nin that fat, ugly, rich businessmen call on to do their dirty work.

And this is no exception.

You look at the poor girl and momentarily pity her for what you are about to do. You brush a red highlight out of your eyes and make sure the sleeping drugs are functioning.

The young man in the corner begins to speak and you snap his jaw shut and thrust him into a corner.

There is no need for speech in this event.

…_I'm felt with _

_I'll be in touch_

_And they say talk is cheap that's why we don't do it that much._

_Less is necessary_

_Flow extra scary_

_Can't fill a great man's shoes_

_So don't compare me_

How I'ma spit what I don't know? 

_You ain't trappin all day, you never seen snow_

_You ain't no PIMP, you ain't got one hoe…_

Sometimes he hated his job, his life. Taking the memories away from people? Taking away parts of their lives? A part that perhaps was the most important thing to them in their world.

And yet he couldn't stop.

And they wouldn't know.

He was about to bind a poor girl to listen to every command this…young man would tell her, through a link between their minds. Nobody could **break** it, but that didn't necessarily mean it couldn't be **negated**…

…_Just be yourself homie you aint gotta lie_

_But you oughta try cuz one day you gotta die_

_And I don't know what's worse, being blessed with this curse?_

Or just knowing what I know?… 

But then again few could figure it out, and by then it would be too late.

But…it was a possibility…a slim one…the one to break it wouldn't even know they did.

Pity.

He sighed and placed his hands into a spade shaped figure.

His conscious left his body.

The process was started and he all needed was ten minutes.

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Mother killed. Father exiled. Been on the run for your life.

And yet you found someone you could attach to. That someone came in the form of a young blonde teen with an infectious grin.

Were you stricken with love at first sight? You can't really remember. All you remember is **him.**

His smile.

His eyes.

His body.

You unconsciously blush a little at this and you began to race images through your mind of his muscles and all those places…you've touched and kissed…and you blush a deeper shade of red.

You are in love.

And yet love can be conquered.

Like black ink covers white paper. Love can be swallowed whole. Love can be crushed, spit on, knifed, kicked, beaten, drowned, and tortured.

Love can be broken.

And the ultimate test of love…is whether or not it survives. They say nothing is forever…if so…then why is love the exception?

…_Souls are captured  
Dreams are stolen, hearts are broken  
Evil blatantly rewarded  
Hate surrenders, Love exalted  
Hope elated, negativity is shorted…_

Because it's not. Love can be beaten…easily…so very easily. Love is so very fragile.

You picture his vibrant figure and his silky, untamed blonde hair and you reminisce about the times you had together. You loved him.

You loved him, so why was your guard down? Why did you get drunk? Was it because you were cocky or was there something else? You can't tell, your memories are fading and your images of him are blurring. You cry out and rush toward them, begging them not to go.

Your mind goes blank.

…Why is the bomb always getting the last word?  
and why did her uncle have to molest her?  
and why did all them cops have to be shootin' to kill?  
and why did all them priests have to act so ill?  
Tell me why did James Byrd Jr. have to be touched?  
Tell me why did Malcolm & Martin depart from us?  
Tell me why did that sniper make the little boy shoot?  
and why does human life always denied for loot?  
Tell me why did Mandela have to live in a cage?  
Why did my brother Sterling have to die at that age?  
Tell me why did Reginald Denny deserve his fate?  
and why the fuck can't love seem to defeat hate?…

A presence enters your mind and you feel yourself fade. You desperately try to fight back but your resistance is futile and you fade. You fade back…far back…into blackness. You see a blond haired young man. You see a swordsman, and you see a middle aged man with red and black highlights in his hair. You murmur a bit and a pained expression hits your face.

The other two figures fade away. You see a glimmer of sadness in the last figure's face. You fade away.

…**Naruto**_…_

And the blonde man finishes. Ten minutes is **up.**

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You feel a jolt in your heart. You flinch a bit and your sky blue eyes shimmer a little, but you shake it off. You've been having problems lately. You think your fine but you know your not. Your conscious is weighing on your mind. You wander the endless maze and stop and lean against the wall.

You've seen people die. But you're thinking about a certain death. The death of a person that truly understood you.

…_They mama say, there be days like this  
When you see, one of your friends die in the mist  
In the struggle, went through circumstances  
Some risks that they take, just to prove a point to a friend  
Even then, accidents are prone to happen to any man  
Or woman that's dumb enough to pretend  
That her, god won't hold them accountable for sins  
If they commit, they try to repent for the sake to repent__  
__But I guess that's just the way things go…_

You remember watching.

The lighting chakra thrusting toward her. Then blood.

Too much blood. Your…friend, dying over something so…petty…and so…small.

Dying over something so trivial.

And yet you can't bring yourself to believe it.

You still want to see their faces. You still want to see Haku…see Zabuza…talk to them.

The life of a missing nin is hard.

Now you know what Zabuza was talking about.

…It was like a knife piercing my chest and I couldn't breath  
I didn't wanna accept it, didn't wanna believe it  
I swear with this weight dawg, I cried so hard  
Literally, Denaun had to carry me to the car  
While I stand in this booth now its tearin me apart  
But I had to let it out cuz it was tearin at my heart  
Cuz he died over somethin so petty and so small  
A human life is so very precious I hope ya'll  
Understand how I'm feelin…

Sometime you wished you could have had a normal life. You wish you could have had friends, family. Sometimes you just wished.

…They say the good die young,  
Thats why I think that you should have fun (when your young)  
Cos time won't wait for no one (uh huh)  
When god calls, you gotta go home (go home)

They say the good die young, (die young)  
Thats why I know that we go' have fun,  
In this life cos you only get one  
When god comes for me, don't cry…

…They say its never too late, to have an early childhood  
If I could, turn back the hands of time, I should  
Forgive what I did as a kid to run blocks  
Now my dreams are just screams, cops and gun shots  
The fun stops when your homies up in a box…

And sometimes you wish you would just…die.

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He glances from the Uchiha to the young woman sitting next to him. He closes his eyes and thinks. Time won't wait for him now. He sighs and he knows that his death is inevitable and that someday he's going to fall flat on his face and perish. He fingers the katana thrust in his belt and thinks back on his life.

He's made a hell of a run.

Being a Seven Mist Swordsman, traveling the world, to escaping execution. He tilts his head back against the cold stonewall and chuckles to himself oblivious to his two companions who are giving each other small glances. He sighs again. He's been traveling and killing and running for most of his whole life. He's killed comrades, enemies, civilians, anything. The mentality of the Seven Mist Swordsmen: kill or be killed, kill first, don't ask questions. It's ironic how this mentality turned against them.

He fingers the katanas again and his mind drifts. He has precious little time left in this world and it might as well end with killing Akatsuki. Yes, that would be his last gift to this world. He chuckles again as his two comrades leave the room and began packing. Only by some **miracle** or demonic magic would he live past the next fight.

Pessimist.

A little voice hisses in his head.

He chuckles. Not a pessimist, no way in hell he was an optimist either.

He was a realist.

Pessimists think everything's going to go bad. If he were a pessimist he would think everybody was going to die. Optimists think everyone's going to live.

And realists look at the facts.

The end is inevitable. He just doesn't know when it's coming for him.

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He was raised in the gritty streets of Buzen, a ghetto community outside of Kumogakure, born Rokuheita Yukumo Kenji. He was beaten as a child and his father was a drunk. There was no school in the ghetto so he would work day in and day out. He never knew his mother and was told that she died when he was young, most likely killed by his father. Day in and day out he worked like a slave. His father was gone most of the day and used the money he earned on booze and drugs and women. When his father would come home he would beat him.

Years past and he became fourteen.

His father came home drunk, and angry, after losing his job because he was groping the female employees. He tried to beat Kenji and went too far. He beat him within an inch of his life.

And Kenji killed him.

The year after that was a blur being recruited by the Kumo forces and placed in a squad. Weeks past and then months and all the while he was becoming an angry man. His comrades were dying like flies, the Kage didn't care and his life was falling apart. There was word of a coup floating around but none dared to confirm this for fear of an incident like the one in Kiri.

Anger was flying around the village and country and temper was running high.

…If I could capture the rage  
Of today's youth and bottle it  
Crush the glass with my bare hands and swallow it  
And spit it back in the faces of you racists  
And hypocrites who think the same shit but don't say shit  
You Liberaces, Versaces and you Nazi's watch me  
Cuz you figured you got me in this hot seat…

Then his team died and he was the only one that survived. He came back, delirious and worn.

He was immediately placed under interrogation. He couldn't remember what had taken place all he remembeedr was a jutsu, a flash, a yell and blood. The interrogation team couldn't get anything out of him but discovered a Stone headband in his discarded clothing. He was immediately brought in by interrogation once again.

This time as an enemy of Kumo.

He couldn't understand. He was being interrogated? For what? He couldn't remember anything.

Then he was tortured.

He snapped, killed the torture team and escaped.

Ever since he had been on the run, even though Kumo had witnessed a regime change in their government, he still remained on the run.

An enemy of the world forever.

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	15. Chapter 15

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Machi opened his eyes. Looking around he tried to clear his blurry vision and began to pick up the vibrant smells that swirled around him. Moving his head to the left he took in his surroundings, which consisted of a large white room and few small desks on which his weapons were, and the small bed he lay on. Sliding off the clean, white satin sheets he carefully padded his way across the room and grasped his weapons. Thrusting them in his belt he muttered,

"Where the hell I am now?"

A door in the back that he hadn't noticed clicked open and Itachi walked in. He mentally made a note to start training more; he was getting dull. Turning to Itachi he repeated the question. The Uchiha crossed the room opening the desk drawers, grabbing various kunai and all the while talking.

"We're on the border of Fire and Tea country at a hotel. We met Jiraiya-sama on the way…"

Machi raised and eyebrow,

"I bet **that** was a bitch…"

Itachi thrust some more weapons into his cloak and motioned for Machi to follow him outside.

"Yes it was, Jiraiya was trying to find Naruto, and when he saw me holding your unconscious body he tried to kill me. Thankfully Rin straightened it out."

Machi nodded and followed Itachi down a flight of steps and through several doors before entering one large tunnel He raised a questioning eyebrow toward the oldest Uchiha who just shrugged. The swordsman sighed and questioned,

"How long was I out, and what did Jiraiya say?"

"You were out for two days…and surprisingly we covered a lot of ground. Jiraiya…informed us of his plan to attack Akatsuki…"

Machi's head snapped up and he fixed Itachi with a piercing stare.

"We're…going to attack Akatsuki? How…when…where?"

Itachi kept his pace down through the tunnel and farther ahead Machi could see light.

"Insider…less than two weeks…Wave Country…"

"Really…who was this insider?"

Itachi paused for a long moment as they reached the tunnel's end and stepped into the light. Machi spotted the Toad Sannin and Rin sitting in another small room filled with wine casks.

"The insider…was an Akatsuki member…named Tobi…who was a sympathizer with Kisame and I…"

Jiraiya stood up and crossed the room a small cup of sake in his left hand. Looking at Machi he smiled a bit before putting on a serious expression.

"Machi…I trust that…Itachi had informed you of the situation and our…attack?"

Machi stood there for a moment, lost, before responding.

"Uhmm…he did say something about that…but I guess I didn't ask the right questions. Kisame is involved in this? What's the situation? Who the hell is this Tobi? And where the hell is Naruto?"

Jiraiya motioned to a seat and began to speak,

"I see…well, yes your former Seven Mist Swordsman member, Hoshigaki Kisame was part of the defection of Akatsuki members along with Itachi and Tobi. Tobi is still playing as an inside agent spying on Akatsuki who is feeding me with information."

He paused taking a draft of Sake and continued,

"Our situation is that Akatsuki members are gathering in a extensive cave network in Wave country. Tobi had supplied me with a list of all current members that he knows of: Zetsu, Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu, and the leader and what seems to be his apprentice. This we are not sure of."

Machi interrupted,

"And who are we using…in our assault?"

Itachi spoke up,

"Myself, Kisame, You, Mitoko, Naruto, Gaara, and Tobi."

Machi looked startled,

"Why not Jiraiya and Rin as well?"

The white haired Sannin just shook his head slightly.

"No…I can't go…I'm trusting you with this…there is an important issue in Konoha I have to take care of and Rin is going back into seclusion, Konoha can't find out she's still alive…they'd kill her and she went through enough trouble to fake her death."

Jiraiya glanced at Itachi for a moment taking note of the sadness that shown on his normally expressionless face. He turned his attention back to Machi who had just said something else.

"Excuse me? What was that?"

Machi gritted his teeth in frustration before speaking again,

"Where is Kenji…where is Mitoko…where is Kisame? Where is Naruto?"

Jiraiya bit his lip,

"That's a good question…I sent Gaara to go track him down…but he hasn't reported back yet…so I have no idea, for all I know he could be in…"

A quiet voice echoed from the tunnel entrance.

"Tea Country."

The four nin turned at the sound of a new voice and saw Gaara leaning against the wall, his sad swirling around him in frustration.

"He's in Tea Country…I missed his by a span of a few hours, my guess is he's already at the hotels…"

Jiraiya and Itachi gave Gaara a piercing glance and noticed the sand chipping of the young jinchuruuki.

The "Gaara" just shrugged and collapsed into a pile of sand.

Jiraiya sighed as the group finally took in the meaning of what the Kazekage had said.

"He's WHAT?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

"She has WHAT?"

"Amnesia sir…you know where you lose your memory for a time…"

"I know what the hell amnesia is…"

"Then sir I don't see what the prob-ahahh"

Kisame had his blade out and it was bristling in front of the doctor's face. The former Akatsuki member had a feral grin on his face and he winked at Kenji before turning back to the doctor. Patients and nurses scattered and cleared out of the way of the three nin. The white-coated doctor's eyes widened and he began blinking rapidly.

"What he means Doc, is how did she get it, when did she get it…and is it breakable?"

The doctor gulped and nervously eyes the bristling Samehada at his throat before being prodded to respond by Kenji,

"Well…she was…found in the club across the street conked out…and was admitted here at eight in the morning. It seems like a…how do I say, rare case of amnesia, brought on by…posttraumatic stress and the want to live normal life. Uhmm…has she had a very hard life…and has she had any…life threatening injuries lately?"

Naruto nodded, still trying to process what was going on.

The doctor smiled sadly,

"Then…she is probably suffering from a cross between posttraumatic stress and amnesia. I suggest giving her lots of bed rest…and visiting often…like perhaps now."

Kenji spoke up,

"What does she remember?"

The doctor shrugged,

"She didn't know where she was…but she shows no shock in the everyday things she sees…I'm thinking that you'll just have to figure this out yourself…she's in room two hundred twenty-five…good luck"

Kenji nodded before moving out of the main lobby and heading down the hall, as the patients gave him, Kisame and Naruto a wide berth. Naruto took point soon after and the proceeded up flight after flight of stairs until the hit the right floor.

Exiting the stair well the sauntered down the hall until the found the correct room. Kenji quietly opened the door and the three nin filed in.

Mitoko looked up and upon seeing Kenji she smiled and launched herself out of bed.

"Kenji! Where have you been? Where's dad? And who's this?"

She motioned to Kisame.

The blue shark like nin grinned, showing his pointed rows of teeth and laughed,

"Hoshigaki Kisame at your service little lady…"

Naruto stepped out of the shadow behind his two companions.

"Mitoko…how are you…when I heard what happened from the doctor…I…I…how are you baby?"

The blonde reached his arms out and put them around Mitoko's waist, resting his chin on her head.

"I missed you…"

Kenji looked at Kisame and they both sighed in relief. At least she remembered Naruto…

"Sir…I don't know what you're doing…but please let go of me…"

Naruto went stiff and his arms left Mitoko's waist. He stepped back and fixed a stare on Mitoko. One word went through Kenji's mind at this.

'Shit…'

Naruto stepped back again, bumping into Kisame's chest and raised a hand. He pointed at himself and in a strangled voice he spoke,

"You…don't know who I am?"

Mitoko just shook her head.

"I'm Naruto…you don't know me Mitoko?"

The female nin just turned to Kenji,

"Who is this Kenji-nii-san?

Naruto clenched his fist. Swiftly turning he pushed his way past the hulking figure of Kisame and left the room without a sound.

A lone tear rolled down his cheek as he walked down the hall.

'She…doesn't…know me…"

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"**Calling all patrols, calling all patrols, murder on the corner of seventh and twenty-first. All patrols head to Double Dice Club…bring a black and white, and a forensics expert. I repeat, calling all patrols**."

A police member looked over the dead body of the man lying before him. A large gash was across his throat and his eyes were fixed in a solemn expression. Blood had sprayed across the expanse of the room and across his body, from head to toe drenching his once blonde hair red with the color of blood. The detective looked over the body once more and turned away.

Walking out of the room he slid down the hall and approached his fellow detectives. Two turned to him and gave questioning glances.

"What do you think? Murder?"

The detective shrugged.

"I don't really know at this point. We need to wait for the rest to get here but…I'm placing the blame on rival gang members. Hell…he was laying half in and half out of the door and this is a club. It was probably gang activity."

A figure in the shadows of the stairwell chuckled lowly.

The other detectives nodded.

"Is that what we're going to record in the report lieutenant?"

The man closed his tired eyes and walked down the hall.

"Yeah…that will be the report…until forensics say otherwise, case is closed. Now who wants to get something to drink?"

The two other men nodded and followed their lieutenant down the hall and they disappeared from sight.

And in the shadows a figure stirred, fingering it's long blood stained stiletto. Long blue hair waved slightly in the breeze as the figure stepped out into the hall. Chuckling slightly, the figure disappeared in a swirl of a black and red cloak.

Three more detectives and a forensics expert came up the stairwell.

"Did you hear that?"

The others just shrugged and dismissed it climbing up the stairwell and turning toward the room where one very dead Yamanaka lay.

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"So…you know the plan correct?"

"Yes…I have it memorized like the back of my hand."

"And the Yamanaka…I trust he was not informed of your plans after the mind wipe…and that there will be no surprises for **her** when she goes to kill him?"

"No."

"Good…remember the plan…they will be drawn in…and you will play as though you have been captured…call to the girl…and then we will kill them all…"

…

…

"Ahhh…you are back! How did the killing of the Yamanaka proceed?"

A soft feminine voice rang out

"Perfect Leader-sama."

"Good…good…go now…and join Sasori and Kakuzu in the preparations…I will hear from you in my chambers soon."

"Hai Leader-sama."

A small swirl echoed through the room and then the figure disappeared.

Silence.

…

…

"I trust that everything will…go correctly on your part. If not…their will be…dire consequences, do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Hai Leader-sama, they have no idea I've been double crossing them."

"Very well…you will have your woman soon, serve me faithfully until then…and I will reward you."

"Thank you Leader-sama."

"Yes…you are dismissed now…Hideo."

Silence.

…

…

"Haha…foolish child. He does not realize the peril of the position he is in. Once a traitor…always a traitor. All of Akatsuki is plotting against me…and I think its time I had an assurance that they did not make it out…alive."

Leader snapped his fingers. Silence, then the sound of footsteps echoing throughout the darkness broke it. A hiss broke through the steps, and then more and more, and more. The Leader crossed through the darkness and into the heart of the hissing. His pulse beat rapidly and his facial expression began to form into a grin and widen. He stepped into a large layer of mist and he could feel the cold biting at him.

And then he saw light.

Approaching it his grin widened as he beheld a large blue-lighted chamber, with a figure floating within it. His grin widened as he placed a hand on the cool blue glass and stared in at the figure that was garbed in all black samurai armor. The figures eyes continuously opened and closed revealing blood red eyes.

Leader's grin widened.

'Zetsu truly gave me a wonderful gift…too bad I'm going to have to kill him.'

His grin faltered for a moment before he stepped away from the chamber. Soon, so very soon.

He turned and began to walk away toward his chambers…he needed some alone time to contemplate his world domination. He stepped back into the eerie darkness and he chuckled.

"Soon your time will come, Uchiha Madara."

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'I'll pick you up as soon as the he officially takes the position.'

That thought rang throughout Tsunade's head. In less than two weeks Uchiha Sasuke would finally take the position of Hokage after much wait and grooming from the council. And in less than two week, on the same day as the transfer of power, an assassination attempt on her life would take place. Jiraiya's spies in the inner circle of ANBU had reported to him and explained the situation.

Jiraiya had immediately sent summons to Tsunade. The two of them had established a plan of escape. While Tsunade was presiding over the transfer of power, Shizune would sneak out of the village being covered by Izumo and Kotetsu. After the transfer of power Tsunade, under the cover of Hayate and Genma, would escape out of the city and meet Shizune.

Then from there summons of Jiraiya would pick them up and take them to an undisclosed location.

Tsunade picked up her sake bottle and chugged the contents. Jiraiya's plan was sure crazy and it would jeopardize four faithful shinobi. Genma, Hayate, Izumo and Kotetsu would be jeopardizing their whole shinobi careers to help Tsunade and Shizune escape, not to mention the assassins who would be coming after Tsunade that they would have to fight. But if worse came to worse, Jiraiya said that he would appear on the scene.

Tsunade rummaged through a drawer and pulled out another sake bottle. Uncorking it she took a long draft. Damn Jiraiya and his crazy schemes but then again…he was the only way she could get out. If in fact the council was using the ANBU to impede her progress and that accursed ROOT would be attacking her this was her only choice. No doubt Sasuke was in on it too. As soon as he took power he would order her capture and execution and as shinobi of the village, the nin would have no choice but to comply.

And it was times like this that she wished she had never lost that bet.

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	16. Chapter 16

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AN: Thank you to **mortalone** for the inspiration given to start this story again, and the time taken to edit and peruse through my writing.

Pen Name has changed from **AZN.THANG** to **o.Arcangel.o**

I just want to clear up that in the previous chapter, the Yamanaka was killed. Previous chapters have been/will be undergoing heavy editing, including but not reduced to the complete change of character action, speech, thought and the scene's, locations and names.

If you're interested in 'Bleach' and like or know anybody that likes IchigoxSenna, check out my fic, '_Anonymous_'

Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto'

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Caught in the moment. That's what it was. Sometimes you're just too stunned to do anything. And when that happens a lot of things can go wrong. Someone you love could die, a man could overdose on pills, and someone could commit suicide. But then again, sometimes it's not so drastic, sometimes it's very, very minor. Very minuscule. Something small and unimportant.

So, when you're caught in the moment, things happen. They happen in a blur and your mind goes blank. Things just go by too fast for you to comprehend, too fast for you to be able to take control of the situation. Shit just happens. And sometimes, you're powerless to prevent him.

Like when she doesn't know you anymore.

And in the end you really don't know what to do. You freeze up, your heart clenches and you feel like life is over.

It hurts doesn't it? Years of love and affection, torn away in just a few brief, flashing moments. You want to love her still, but if she doesn't know you, what's the point? How is it possible that she remembers everything _but_ you? You don't want to give up, you know you aren't going to, but your heart still aches and you wonder why? Why is it that the woman you've loved the most in your life has _forgotten_ you? You're still searching for answers.

And maybe you'll be searching forever.

It was night now and the heavy mist that flowed in from the surrounding seas of Tea Country blocked out the dim light of the moon. He walked through the mist, his eyes downcast and feet grinding into the sand methodically. His eyes were fixed on the grainy, tan colored substance and his mind strayed away from reality.

The bone chilling cold of the heavy mist surrounded him, nipping at his exposed chest and arms. Was it better than the bitter cold and snowstorms of the high mountains? He didn't know. But mist had always been his favorite atmosphere. The sort of mist where you cant see in front of you. The sort of mist where the hundreds of damp, small water particles condense and cling to your body.

Mist was a place of total seclusion, a place to think by yourself and stay hidden from the outside world, where moisture taken from the surrounding air, was molded to your liking. Mist, was a useful tool.

The sound of the waves crashing into the sand of the beach echoed in the back of his mind. The glare of the moon off the water shone dimly in the darkness, playing with the shadows and silhouettes. Small slivers of silver light pierced through the heavy mist, just barely glancing off the massive blade strapped to his back. His feet ground along steadily, crunching upon the tiny rocks and pebbles beneath him and he pressed onward, completely unaware of the time or the location.

How long had he been walking?

He didn't care, the world could wait.

His mind was wrapped around one thought, one concept, one vital piece of information that was the world to him. Some might say, how could one piece of information mean the world to you? You mean you would sacrifice the world for this piece of information? And in reality, maybe he would, after all this one piece of information would prove to be an ongoing cause of his depression and sorrow.

His ice blue eyes flickered upward, just barely catching the silhouette of buildings in the distance. Another town. Fun. Perhaps he would get wasted there. He had to forget somehow. The words that echoed in his mind needed to be purged. Then, maybe he would be able to start over with a clean slate. He still loved her and yes he still had a chance to make things right. But witnessing years of love and devotion go straight to hell is enough to make anyone break down, enough to make the best of the best crumble.

Losing love was his equivalent of Achilles' heel. And right now, breaking down wasn't an option.

The sand began to fly upward as Naruto increased his pace, his eagerness to forget blocking out whatever other senses he had once possessed.

And perhaps that was a good thing.

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He hoisted the massive blade over his shoulder, the bandaged scales brushing lightly against the bare skin of his neck. Sighing, he shifted slightly, adjusting his precarious position on the roof of the hospital. Peering into the dark streets of the city he snorted in disgust. No light whatsoever. He glared at the moon, as if to somehow make it shine brighter.

He stood, his blade grinding against the tile roof as he turned around. Feet slipping slightly he trudged up the tilted building and toward the other side. Muttering under his breath, he reached the very top of the roof and slid back down to the other side, his eyes still focused on the unlit streets of the city. Soft yellow and white glows shown farther away surrounded by the neon signs of clubs, bars and hotels.

'Where the fuck is that kid?'

Naruto was missing and with all the experience Kisame had, he couldn't even trace Naruto's path. The young blonde's chakra signature had completely disappeared, which should have been damn near impossible seeing as the blonde had larger reserves than he did. But then again he wasn't powerful for nothing. No doubt that kid had figured out how to mask his chakra signature efficiently.

Growling in frustration the former Akatsuki member neared the edge of the hospital roof. Strapping the bristling Samehada firmly to his back he began to gather chakra into his hands. Sliding down toward the very end of the tile roof he skidded to a stop. Looking down the long, long drop from the hospital roof to the sixth floor he let his chakra surge more. He grinned in anticipation, white shark-like teeth glistening in the dim moonlight.

Fuck the conventional way; this was going to be a blast.

He tilted forward, letting gravity do the rest and moments later was in free fall. Laughing like a maniac Kisame twirled in mid air twisting his body upright. The wind whipped at his face and the loose, baggy clothing covering his body was almost torn off him from the force of the fall. Gathering some more chakra to his hands Kisame squinted and tried to focus his blurry vision on the nearing sixth floor. It was approaching faster and faster and he whipped out his hands, the chakra infused limb latching directly onto an open window.

The whiplash from the force of the sudden stop almost tore his arms form their sockets.

Grinning, he hoisted himself up, bringing his body over the steel frame of the glass window and into a hospital room. Dusting his clothes off, he checked to see if all of his gear was still on him when a startled gasp, followed by massive amounts of killing intent pierced the air. Turning his head slowly, the former Mist swordsman's grin melted quickly off his face. Standing in the room was Mitoko, a towel clutched over her body and her face red with anger.

"Oh Shi-" Was all he got out before a heavy fist straight to his 'jewels' sent him barreling out of the same window he had just entered from and straight back into freefall.

He did what all men do. He screamed.

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Kenji stood outside the entrance to the hospital, watching the falling form of Kisame. Shaking his head slightly he laughed.

'Dumbshit.'

The sound of Kisame's scream was breaking the silence of the night. A small entourage of people were gathered with Kenji, watching the falling, screaming figure of the ex-swordsman hurtle through the air at breakneck speeds. One figure shook his head in pity, the crow's feet beneath his eyes crinkling into a silent laugh. The tallest figure behind him spoke out in a deep baritone.

"Is that Kisame?"

Kenji nodded, folding his hands beneath the heavy cloak around his shoulders. The figure behind him nodded slightly and for a split moment the battered, scratched Mist forehead protector beneath his hood glinted in the dark of the night.

"He's changed."

Kenji threw his head back and laughed loudly as the others continued to watch the descent of Kisame's figure. One figure stirred, the hood of his cloak sliding slightly off, dark red hair revealed. His quiet voice snaked out from behind the three companions.

"Is someone going to save him or am I going to have to attract unneeded attention? We have things to do. Your daughter is very important…"

The tallest man shifted slightly at these words and motioned with his hand toward the falling Kisame, who was about to make an impact with the hard concrete pavement. The farthest figure back raised a hand and the ground rumbled. Kneeling, the man thrust his hand into the dirt and the rumbling increased until the dark brown silhouette of sand burst out from the depths of the earth, shattering the concrete sidewalks into pieces.

Suspended in mid-air for a moment, the sand swirled violently. From his crouched position the man looked on with an apathetic look and with a quick flick of his wrist the sand had amassed below Kisame, twisting and turning before wrapping securely around him.

The swordsman's eyes almost popped out in surprise. Fumbling with the folds of his clothing, he reached behind him latching onto Samehada's hilt, intent on severing the chakra that bound the masses of sand together. He succeeded in drawing the massive blade and thrust it deep into the grainy substance.

The sand just swirled again, avoiding the chakra absorbing power of Kisame's blade and encircling him again, bringing the swordsman down toward the cloaked figures assembled on the ground, placing him in front of the tallest one. Kisame shook himself away from the rapidly receding sand's grasp and backed away, ready to defend himself if necessary.

The deep baritone of the man's voice hit Kisame like a ton of bricks.

He froze, the hilt of his weapon hanging limp in his hand. The cloaked figure moved forward, and Kisame could faintly see the outline of his face. The hood concealing the man's face was slowly pulled down and the sharp features of Kazutoyo Machi were staring the shark like man in the face. Samehada fell from his grasp. Oblivious to what was being said he glanced around as the other figures began to pull their hoods down. He fixed his eyes on the figures, mouth gaping open. First the Kazekage, Sabaku no Gaara, and then they flickered to the woman standing behind him, and then finally to Uchiha Itachi.

Kisame promptly fainted.

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He sat on the beachfront, his back arched against the bamboo laid back chair, listening to the sounds of nature around him. His crystal blue eyes were glazed over; the reflection of the ocean imprinted there and his mind was lost in thought. His right hand reached absently down to the sand and picked up a bottle of sake. Lifting the bottle to his mouth, he placed it on his lips and drank deeply from the sweet, fiery liquid. Gulp after gulp of the alcoholic beverage washed down the blonde's throat and finally after a minute of straight drinking, the bottle was dropped from his grasp, falling to the sand with a small thump, rolling into a growing pile of empty bottles.

His left hand slid over the damp surface of Kubikiri Houcho, letting the 'liquidy' feel of hardened Mist steel to wash over his fingers. He looked out to where land met sea and the waves that crashed gently on the sand, the soothing rhythm soaking into his very soul. Rolling his head back, he looked into the foggy night sky, his eyes piercing the never-ending darkness. The palm trees above him rustled slightly and he closed his eyes, trying desperately to focus his thoughts.

What was he going to do now?

It just seemed like his life was in chaos, things happening too fast, the past catching up too quickly. He didn't know what to do. His group was separated, with Machi only Kami knows where. The situation with Akatsuki was starting to heat up, Konoha was on the move again and on top of that Mitoko didn't remember him.

That hurt.

His heart clenched. Why didn't she remember him? How did this happen? What was she doing? So many unanswered questions were swirling around in his head. What was worse was that he didn't even bother to stick around to ask. Right now he was in a frail emotional state, not thinking straight and prone to do anything that would endanger his life.

Naruto reached down toward the sand again, gripping the neck of a sake jug and hoisting it upwards. Sighing he popped the top of the bottle and poured the contents into his mouth. Too bad he couldn't get wasted. The powers of the almighty Demon King inside him prevented the young blonde from getting that drunk. Sure he could get a little tipsy but anything too powerful and the Kyuubi filtered it from his system.

Taking another draft he stood up.

It was about time he headed back. Naruto glanced at the bottle and felt the weight of a still half full jug. He sighed, lifting it to his lips again, maybe getting back could wait a few more minutes.

Or hours.

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Mitoko stared at the bathroom mirror, her brow creased in agitation. Brushing away a lock of hair she began to massage her temples, fingers digging ruthlessly into her flesh. Sighing in relief as the pain in her head began to ebb away she leant back, head resting against the cold wall of the hospital bathroom. The light in the bathroom was a warm, glowing yellow and as she glanced up at it her face creased in to a frown again.

Yellow.

Blonde.

Just who the hell was that guy?

She slumped to the cold floor of the bathroom, trying to block out the light that radiated through the room, increasing her headache ten-fold. Why had he called her 'baby'? He didn't even know her, but he acted like he did. She glared at the mirror, her eyes burning holes into her reflection. Who the _fuck_ did he think he was? What fucking _right_ did he have?

He had looked so dejected leaving the room. That's what bothered her. Why? Why had he looked so damn sad? What it something she said? What it something she did? And why had Kenji acted like it was a normal thing? She didn't even _know_ him! Was he an obsessed fan? A stalker? A past lover? Her mind went into overload. What was she missing? Her memories had vanished and either the blonde had been an important part in it or he was maneuvering into a position to take advantage of it.

Just who the _hell _was he?

She could still feel the weight of his arms around her. It was euphoria. Almost as if it was something she had felt time and time again. But she couldn't think of where she had. The utter sensation of his hug as shocked her stiff and over and over again she tried to place where she had felt something like that before. But every time she tried, all she did was draw up a blank. She could just write it off. Other people had given her hugs over the years; she knew that for a fact.

But something about this one jolted her senses.

Something about the way his body molded to hers. Something about the way those strong arms encircled her protectively. Something about the way he moved.Something that said that he cared and that he had been there for her in the past. Was she in a fight? Was her head damaged by some stray jutsu that left no physical wounds? Or did she want to forget? Or was he ever there to begin with at all?

But there was just something.

Nothing had been said for a few minutes after the blonde stranger had left. Turning to Kenji and Kisame she had asked them about the man but neither had responded, opting to stay quiet, a look of foreboding plastered onto their faces. They had exchanged a knowing look and the three had carried on in complete silence. The swordsman was the first to leave. Kisame had abruptly left the room, flinging the door open with such force that it had been cracked off its hinges. Kenji had just looked on with a weary face and turned to her, apologizing for leaving so soon. With a pitying look on his face he had pivoted and exited the room swiftly, his footsteps echoing in the empty halls of the hospital.

She had been confused as hell.

And she still was.

Why were they acting so strange? What did it have to do with her? What the hell was wrong?

So many questions. So many unanswered questions. But those questions were irrelevant in her eyes. She only wanted one answered or perhaps two. Questions answered, that was all she wanted and with any luck she might get it.

The questions that floated around in her head:

Just who was that tall, dangerous, blonde haired man? And who was she to him…or him to her?

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	17. Chapter 17

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AN: Well, here with another update to the story. Feels good to be back.

Anyways, I want to ask a very **IMPORTANT** question. By show of hands (reviews, PM's etc) how many of my readers now are the same ones that started reading this story when I first started and have been with it the whole time/a relative long time? Just wondering, so, if you would kindly inform me of this…I'd be grateful.

Well, on with the show!

Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto'…

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The future is fragile, never promised to any of us. Dreams are fragile. Nightmares go hand in hand with living out our dreams. His life had been a nightmare. His life had been a dream. His life had been the most **fucked **up piece of shit in the entire world. He thought it would have got better. It just never seemed to go his way. He was faced with the grim reality of his situation.

Welcome to life.

His head rose, bleary eyes looking directly into the light. The sun tapped across the ocean, light shimmering off its azure surface. The waves crashed gently onto the fine sand, salt water swirling around calmly. He squinted into the sun, noting its position in the sky. Early morning. He had been awake for the whole night. And what a night it had been. A night full of inner turmoil, booze and silence.

Naruto's hand dropped the ceramic bottle of sake it held, flexing in and out. The blonde watched the bottle fall, the pitiful remainder of liquid spilling out onto the tan sand. He sighed, stretching a little as he got up. His body was sore as hell.

'I guess it's time to get going…'

His back popped in annoyance as he arched, stretching his arms out to the sky, stiff muscles straining. He shook his head, sleep fading rapidly from his eyes. His senses cleared. It was just another day. He reached across, past the bamboo chair, hand sliding down across the sand. His fingers curled around the tightly bound ray-skin hilt of Kubikiri Houcho. Naruto gripped the familiar hilt of his massive blade, savoring the smooth feeling. The steel glinted in the new light, reflecting the yellow sheen into the cloudless blue sky.

Just another day.

He walked, blonde hair swishing back and forth over his eyes as he bounced rhythmically on his feet.

'What to do…what to do…'

Naruto was silent as he crossed the hot sand, feet stepping lightly along the white, grainy substance. The waves lapped gently at the seashore, washing away the fine powder. He moaned. The matter at hand required a great deal of thought, and a great deal of time. Most matters of the heart did. And thinking had never really been his strong point. And time was definitely not something he had in abundance.

Yup, just another day.

'I love her…'

Yes, he loved her, a great deal in fact. He would sacrifice his life for her; kill himself if it made her happy. He had given her his heart and could never hope for it back. He had nothing else to give. He had given it **all**. His love, devotion, trust, everything. He couldn't ask for it back, after all, how can you ask for something that has disappeared?

Oh the irony.

Love had never been his strong point. The matters of the female mind had always befuddled him and the longer he thought about it, the more his brain hurt. Yes, females were the catalysts of life. All of these complicated thoughts prancing around in his head he desperately tried to ignore. And yet there was one thing he couldn't block out. Through the agony and burning brain. Through the hot, searing sand to the cold metallic touch of a blade. One thought.

Could he really love her through the pain?

There he went, questioning his love.

He wasn't really sure what to do now. Would the pain become unbearable? He had no idea how it would feel to see your previous lover with someone else. Of course he had had his share of heartbreaks but…this was different. He didn't know what to expect. His heart ached. Blue orbs disappeared behind eyelids as he let out a long, deep sigh. He walked on, blade clinking slightly as he pulled his feet across the ground.

The sand sunk under Naruto's feet momentarily as he stalked across the beach. His foot lifted, leaving the sand and slowly but surely, the crater began piling back up with sand, filling in the indentation in the carpet of tan. Slowly the sand smoothed over, regaining its still composure. It was like the indentation was never there.

Just another day.

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Top of the world. The best of the best.

Akatsuki. Red Dawn.

They killed without mercy. Slaughtered without hesitation. Killed without blinking. Top notch, merciless, heartless, dealers of death.

This was the Akatsuki.

They yearned for power. Looking for any people that would measure them. And eventually, they would kill them. They would never die. They were immortal. The most powerful beings in the world.

They were soldiers. Soldiers with no allegiance. They killed for themselves. Plundered for themselves. And yet they all had one common goal in mind.

A better world. They really didn't want to fight anymore, yet they fought to achieve their goals.

Ah yes, what crazy things exist. A group of power-hungry killers eager to make the world peaceful by the means of war. Peace by unleashing the most destructive power ever on the world. The power of a bijuuu, precisely nine. Interesting yes? And they would kill anyone in their way, whether it be Jounin, Chuunin, Genin, or a simple missing nin.

Or in this case a Kage and four S ranked ninja.

Play the game with them, they win.

They say don't play games with your life; it's not worth it. Don't play with fire, you'll get burned.

Akatsuki faced death and sent it back screaming in fear. They played with fire and put it out with just a snap of their fingers.

But they weren't prideful. Low key was the best description.

They say too much pride is the sign of a foolish man.

And Akatsuki was by no means foolish.

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"Seems like your mouth is not connected to your brain."

Blood splattered over the floor. Fear.

"You think I was blessed with a gift?"

More blood. Fear.

"I beg to differ."

A scream of pain tore through the air, two distinct voices melded as one. Fear.

"To me, this is a curse."

The black and red world of Tsukuyomi swirled. Fear.

"Lets play the game you say?"

The crunch of broken bones echoed in the silence, accompanied shortly afterward by another pain filled scream. The victim was chained to a wall, Akatsuki cloak tattered and ripped, blood streaming down across it. The green side of his face was alive with terror. The black side alive with pain, face dancing in anguish.

"You are already dead."

A blade was thrust through the heart, wrenched up and pulled out of the shoulder.

"You forgot Zetsu-san…that I am a killer by birth. I am a member of a clan bred for fighting alone."

More blood was strewn over the wall.

"I am a legend. You. Are. Nothing."

The world of Tsukuyomi swirled again, this time fading into the background, black and red melding into the surroundings. The blood stained wall dissolved slowly with the rest of the world. The man chained to it was not so lucky. Eyes rolled into the back of his head, his chest was a wreck. The body was mangled, blood and skin hanging by sinew from muscles.

"Looks like Akatsuki lost the game this time."

He formed hand seals, drawing in a deep breath. Fire burned across the hospital room, scorching the interior beyond repair. The sickly sweet smell of cooking flesh permeated the space. His face showed no emotion as the smell washed over him. He blinked, eyes watching the roasting body in the flames turn into nothing but ash. The flames jumped higher.

He turned on his heel, Sharingan flashing in a unique display of emotion. Anger.

Akatsuki would die.

Uchiha Itachi stalked away, back turned to the growing flames behind him. His eyes glowed, red lighting up the ghostly darkness of his face. The flames danced higher, burning through the ceiling, complimenting the visible flaring of his chakra. His boots echoed in the hallway, cloak billowing behind him, footsteps carrying him away from the stench of death.

'Come and get me…you will die.'

He would make sure of it.

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Simple and plain. Hurt you so long, you'll be addicted to pain.

Samehada didn't cut, it shaved. It was a queer blade. Most blades were meant to cut, slice, and break. A blade meant to shave and tear was not functional. But his was Samehada. It ground through your skin, tearing flesh from bones. It kept you in pain constantly. It scraped your skin raw. A less experience nin would not be able to block out the annoying pain of each individual wound.

It was a minor distraction. One that could cost a life.

The blade ripped through flesh, breaking through bone, skin and muscle. It was ceaseless, possessing enormous power, just like its master.

It was a powerhouse, virtually unstoppable. It sucked the living power out of its enemy, draining chakra with each hit, whether it be a miniscule one or a almost fatal blow. It was deadly beyond reproach. A killing machine, straight to the point.

"FUCK YOU AND YOUR STUPID JASHIN!"

Just like its master.

He swung his blade again, its broad sides brisling as it felt the bloodlust of its wielder. A sentient blade. What a wonder a blade like this was in the world. A blade like this in the hands of an experienced swordsman was a force to be reckoned with. And Hoshigaki Kisame was more than that.

His wild grin exposed his massive shark like teeth. They glinted in the light, polished tips shining in the dim hospital lights. His blade slashed through the air, slicing at its elusive pray. It crossed with another weapon. He pressed down, testing the mettle of the defense. His blade could feel the chakra within the defense. It could feel the chakra-enforced edge of the scythe. Kisame let it go. Samehada drained it all.

"You should know you stupid fuck that my blade drains chakra."

His blade tore through flesh. He grinned.

"Looks like Jashin isn't really helping now, is he?"

His opponent's answer was just a grunt. His grin widened and he watched blood drip down from his enemy's chest. He drove his blade up; savoring the feeling of excitement was it broke through his enemies guard, sucking chakra and life from his veins.

"You say you're immortal, right Hidan?"

The scythe wielding nin grunted out in frustration as he jumped back from another strike. Kisame pulled his blade back, baring his teeth madly. His eyes were alight with the fervor of battle.

"Today I'm going to test that…I'm going to break that…"

Hidan snorted, fingering the shaft of his scythe and shedding the tattered remains of his cloak.

"You're welcome to try…but I will NEVER die! Jashin will aid me!"

Kisame chuckled. Slowly the chuckle grew louder, evolving into full-blown laughter. Hidan watched, curious.

"What's so funny, heathen?"

Kisame's laugh faded and in its place a maniacal grin was plastered across his face.

"I'm going to kill you."

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All the pain. All the agony. All the horror. All the tragedy.

His blades flashed into sight. The needles of poison jolted through the airspace, barreling straight toward his neck. His blade twirled in a circle and his body twisted, each motion designed to propel him forward. Strikes designed to block the smallest of all projectiles. They cut them in half, shearing through the light, flimsy metal. His body pushed forward, eyes fixed on his enemy. He lunged, katana slashing through the air, aimed for the one place that would land a fatal blow.

He wasn't fast enough.

His enemy dodged, already familiar with the fighting style of this swordsman. Sasori's massive bulk scurried away.

He had been trained in this. Sword was his life. Iaido was his blood.

The art of the sword was complicated. Patience was a virtue. Power was key. Focus was necessary. But the most important factor in swordplay was balance. If you were not balanced, you were nothing. Power was not everything. If you had massive amounts of power but no balance, how would you wield that potential? You couldn't. It had been drilled into him his whole life. Be patient, have balance. Release your power at one time.

But he was pushing it.

In Iaido you wield a sword not to control your opponent but to control yourself. It is a reaction. Never attack first. You must harmonize yourself to the actions of your opponent. Unnecessary movement must be cut away. There should be no movement that will not serve a purpose. You must have refinement.

He had broken his rules. He was all power, no balance. All attack, no patience. All cut, no control. All movement, no calm.

Breaking calm would be his demise.

He felt the prick of a needle.

He turned, blade thrusting deep into the chest of his enemy.

They were both still.

Game over.

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Let's play the game.

Your life is the wager. Are you willing to bet everything on your skill? Why wouldn't you? Death isn't that bad.

The causeway burned, pieces of concrete and plaster falling from the ceiling. It fell between the two fighters, crumbling into pieces. Dust rose, obscuring their vision, blocking out the sight of fighters. They didn't need vision though. They were ninja. They could clearly feel the chakra signatures of each other. Both were poised for contact, hands on weapons, senses alert. The dust around them rose leisurely, taking its time to separate, almost as if knowing that as soon as it did, the two fighters would be at each other's throats.

Kenji bit down on the senbon in his mouth. His hand inched toward his side pouch.

Kakuzu was silent, hand fumbling with something inside his robes.

The dust cleared.

The fighters moved in. They clashed in the middle of the hallway, senbon against kunai. Their arms worked, muscles straining to gain the upper hand. Neither did. Quickly they separated, each forming hand seals as they did.

Lighting flashed through the hallway, cracking down upon the floor. Wind roared across the enclosed space, clashing with the lightning bolts.

Explosions rocked the building.

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Mitoko peered out from her window, eyes wide as she watched two Akatsuki members climbing the stairs toward her door. One with dark black hair, a flower pinned through. The other had orange hair and different piercings adorned his face. Her heart clenched. Slowly she withdrew her head from the window, fist clenched in anxiety.

She couldn't do this. But yet she had too. Where the heck was everybody? Why was this happening? Who were these people? A moment ago she had been lounging in her room and now...now everything was chaos.

She quickly crossed her hospital room, heading straight for the dresser. She could hear the footsteps now. Her heart raced. She gripped the kunai. The footsteps became louder. She grabbed another kunai. They were at her door. Her fingers curled around the weapons. The knob turned. She pressed her self against the wall. The wind blew through her open window, with it a small origami swan.

The door opened.

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	18. Chapter 18

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AN: Here you go, the next chapter in the story…Thank you to everyone who told me how long they'd been reading the story. I appreciate your support and all the help you've given me. Thanks for reviewing…

This chapter is a bit weird…and I feel a little uncomfortable with it…I feel like it was a little too choppy…like I was trying to do too much…so if you'd kindly tell me how it was…

If I can get to four hundred reviews with this chapter…I'd be ecstatic. So please…review…

Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto'…

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Half of your life was spent serving the needs of others. Half of your life was lain down to protect those who hated you beyond words. Your life, from the moment of birth was sacrificed to people who didn't give a damn whether you died or not. You were just a weapon. After all, isn't that all a shinobi's life is?

To be a tool.

Why were you so eager to lay your life down? Why were you so eager to die for people, no a village…no a country, who didn't really care to give you a chance? Why were you so utterly optimistic to believe that you'd actually be seen as someone, somebody, a person worth loving, acknowledging? Why the hell were you dying to live for them…if they hated you anyways?

All they would've done was laugh when you were dead.

To them, you were nothing.

You squandered in filth for half of your cursed life. You waited and wondered and cried. You cried like a Little. Fucking. Girl. You still cringe at the memories. You waited, hoping someday it would change, only to realize too late that it wouldn't change unless you made it. The thing was, you were too late. You were too blind. Bottom line, you were stupid.

And the moment you see a new life, the moment you tasted the sweet nectar that was freedom, the moment you catch one tiny whiff of trouble-free days, BAM!

Accursed fate decides to mock your existence.

Your date with destiny grinds to a halt.

Lady luck decides to play against you.

And karma is just being a bitch.

They jump out at you, grab you by the balls and **squeeze**.

Nuh uh, you ain't done. Not by a long shot.

You silently wonder if Kami is a woman.

You sigh, feet dragging through the sinking sand. They feel warm, immersed in the baking tan colored grains, heated by the blazing sun. Your thoughts drift.

You've done this too many times. Start over? Nah, it's too late now. You're stuck with what you have. Until you die. Doors keep closing and it just keeps getting harder. You have no idea. But you guess it's like they say, 'when it rains it pours'.

You think about it for a moment. And for the first time in your life, you realize that you're not as resilient as you appear to be. They say undue sorrow and stress leads to a declining mind, a breaking body and a frail soul. They say it takes years of not knowing, years of being oblivious, until your body finally breaks down.

And you realize it's perfectly true. It's prefect-fucking-lee true.

How much time had it taken you to figure it out?

How long?

Only years of quiet deprivation. Only countless nights of self-pity. Only the loss of things you held dear. Only the loss of your innocence.

You stop to think again.

What the hell are you doing now? What is your life?

Do you even have a purpose? A reason for living? Do you have something you strive for?

Your throat runs dry. Your senses fail to comprehend and your feet grind a slow and agonizing stop in the sand. The breeze runs through your wild blond locks.

And with a calm, unheard, unseen cross between a laugh and a sob, you realize the truth.

You don't.

You don't have anything.

You don't have damned-jack-shit.

The life, no the lives you once knew have faded into the darkness, replaced only by the bleak view of what is reality.

So, do you really have anything to live for?

You are silent and the lapping of waves against the beach is barely audible as you debate with yourself within the recesses of your mind. You struggle to reason with yourself, struggle to find meaning to your thoughts. You know it's useless. Your face is apathetic and your eyes unmoving, staring unblinkingly out into the distance. If someone had seen you, they'd be eerily reminded of a dead man.

What do you have?

You realize with a cold suddenness that your life…is out of control.

You have no order. You have no mind-set. You have no peace

You have no Zen.

You chuckle a little at that though. Zen…heh, who would've thought he'd use an Iruka word?

So, what are you going to do now?

You feel like a lost puppy. You haven't felt this helpless since the Sandaime's funeral.

What will you do?

Sure you have, your bad you meant, **had **a love interest.

Too bad she doesn't even remember you now.

You have friends…or what you think are friends. Now that you think back, you've never really had a friend.

You have mentors. Kisame, Kenji, Machi. Hell, even Jiraiya would be happy as fuck to take you under his wing.

You rub your chin thoughtfully.

Hmm, maybe that wasn't such a bad idea?

Nah…you've given the old pervert enough trouble…for now.

So that left you with a few options.

Suicide.

Or, go back and try to make things work.

Well, it sure as hell wasn't going to be suicide. Besides, you doubt if the fur ball holed up in your stomach would even let you go that far.

Your feet drag themselves out from the deep hole of sand they were wedged in just moments ago. Your blade touches your back momentarily and even with the thin tank top covering you, you can still feel the deadly, chilly steel cooling your body. The breeze picks up again, rustling the thin clothing you have on. You close your pure blue eyes and just stop.

You're still and you make no sounds.

Your eyes flutter open. But something's different. There's something missing. You're not sure. You can just feel it.

You glance around, trying to tell how long you've been out in the middle of nowhere. You've been lost before, so, it shouldn't be anything to worry about.

Your body tenses.

You have the unmistakable feeling of a chill travel up your spine and your hair stands on end. Your shinobi mind is on high alert, tuning into everything around you. Your eyes scan the sands, looking down to the coast, peering worriedly toward the town in the distance. You could've sworn you'd seen…a massive…explosion

Something feels wrong.

Again the chilling feeling licks at your senses. Slowly, it begins to saturate the air around you.

Your body shudders.

Something feels very, very wrong.

You feel something dark; something tainted brewing in the vast expanse. It calls out to you. You feel its power. The cold, clammy, deathly feeling that creeps up onto you is unimaginable. The power, it suffocates you. It dims your thoughts, it shrouds your senses and it is incredible.

You try to feel out, locate the feeling in the surroundings.

You can't pinpoint it.

An ill omen.

Your hand unconsciously snakes to the massive head cleaver strapped to your back. Your feet push off the soft sand.

Time to leave.

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His blade pierced through a beating heart.

He twisted, feeling his blade wrench through muscle, blood and flesh. His hands gripped tighter around the weapon in his hands. He thrust it farther, tearing through his enemy. He felt a little elation as he felt the vital organ burst and his blade tear through what little flesh his opponent still had. His joy faded away quickly, dwindling into oblivion.

He could already feel the needle poking into his neck.

Machi could feel the poison working.

He stumbled back, knees buckling slightly. The sickening sound of his blade wrenching out from the body of his enemy echoed in the empty room.

Blood covered his hands. It stained his hands, deep into his skin. It caked under his nails. One hand lifted, reaching shakily up to his neck. It latched onto the abnormally long senbon needle embedded there. His fingers curled around the steel. He plucked it out. The metallic sheen shone brightly. It wasn't a traditional senbon. It was one specifically meant for poison. A needle meant to hold the poison within a hollow chamber and then in inject it into the bloodstream when it came in contact with flesh.

Very time consuming.

Very deadly.

It killed within minutes.

He coughed.

His body racked with spasms, shuddering uncontrollably with each intake of air.

Black liquid scattered over the floor.

Poison…

…and his blood.

His katana clattered to the floor, bloody blade glistening in the dim light.

Calm eyes watched the blood pour from his enemy's wounds. His mouth curled in satisfaction.

Machi breathed a sigh of relief. He coughed again, stumbling as the choking knocked him off balance.

More black liquid spewed into the air. The small drops splattered to the floor without a sound. He stumbled past the poison, shoes smearing the dark, inky mixture. It dragged over the floor, over the carefully lain tiles, tainting the surfaces with blood. His vision turned blurry. His breath came in ragged gasps. He tripped over the carcass of Sasori.

He went sprawling to the ground, blood bubbling from his mouth.

His vision was shot. His lungs struggled to take in air. His head spun. His body throbbed.

Machi's tired body gave up.

The poison in his body had finally worked its course.

He shuddered, his last breath a drawn out, long and raspy one.

Machi lay still.

Silence.

…

…

…

'What was that sound…?'

…

…

…

'…Am I dead…?'

…

…

…

'…It sure doesn't seem like it…'

…

…

…

Her scream echoed in his ears.

…

…

…

'…I won't die yet…'

'…Not yet…'

Her scream echoed in his mind again.

'…Mitoko…'

…

…

…

His dulled senses pulled.

'Mitoko…'

His heart jolted to life and he spluttered, his lungs flooding his body with precious oxygen.

Machi's eyes snapped open.

It seemed he still had work to do.

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The first kunai she threw crunched right through the door.

The second one sailed past the Akatsuki member's face.

The third impacted with a loud smack, sinking into the man's chest, lodging into the sternum.

She snarled in triumph…

…until she saw the man reach up and pluck the deadly steel weapon out and crush it like a toy.

She blinked.

And when her eyes opened, he was gone.

She felt breath on her neck.

She froze…

…and screamed.

Her hand spun around and thrust another kunai deep into her attackers thigh. She felt the weapon plunge through muscle and tissue. She yanked down, intent on severing the tendons and veins in the man's body. Her hand stopped midway, held by some invisible force

She felt a hand curl around her throat. She was dragged from her knees and hoisted in the air.

She came face to face with the Akatsuki member.

She shivered, eyes wandering over the numerous rings and loops adorning his face.

Then she noticed the two shadows behind him. An woman and…

Her mouth curled into a grimace.

Hideo.

She tried to break free of the man's grasp, desperately pulling at his powerful hands.

That bastard was behind all of this.

She struggled in his grasp, but to no avail. She fell limp, strength sapped away. She watched the woman behind him mutter something. He nodded and the woman disappeared in a flutter of paper.

His fingers curled even more tightly around her throat. Her neck felt like breaking. The air to her body was getting cut off. Her vision began to blur and she could feel the blood draining from her face.

She was slowly being choked to death.

She struggled again, desperately trying to break free of the man's iron grip.

Useless.

Her vision faded.

Inky blackness consumed.

The door shattered.

There was silence and for a moment she feared the worst. The man strangling her stopped and she was finally able to breathe. She tried to move her head, trying to get a glimpse of the figure at the entrance.

Machi's gravelly voice broke the hush.

He spoke from the door, shoulder leaning heavily against it. He was breathing deeply, chest heaving up and down as his lungs pumped away.

"Let go of my daughter…"

The man didn't listen, instead increasing the pressure of his once slack hand against Mitoko's throat.

"Let go of my daughter you son-of-a-bitch!"

The man halted, fingers loosening slightly.

"And what will you do if I don't…Swordsman?"

Machi's hands curled around the hilts of his blade and he braced for impact.

"I'll kill you."

The Akatsuki member seemed to flinch but he couldn't tell from where he was standing. With a flick of his wrist the man threw Mitoko, flinging her like a rag doll behind him, her body slamming into the furniture. He called to the obscure figure in the shadows.

"Watch her."

Then he turned to face Machi.

"Do you know who I am, shinobi?"

He took a step forward. His orange eyes spun.

"Do you know what I am capable of?"

His face was emotionless.

"I am Pein."

He took another step forward, hands shifting beneath his heavy cloak.

"I am a God."

The surrounding fell silent.

"You will die."

His hand flashed into existence.

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Itachi's footsteps echoed in the halls. His eyes flashed dangerously, Sharingan spinning in an uncharacteristic show of anger. The cloak on his shoulders billowed, waving back and forth as if controlled by his emotions.

His eyes locked onto the form of Konan. He studied her, Sharingan taking in every detail about the woman. The tomoe in his crimson dyed eyes came to a halt, slowly winding down to a fully matured Mangekyou.

His eyes met Konan.

He saw her eyes widen.

He almost smirked.

"Tsukuyomi…"

The world was shrouded in red and black.

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He twisted away from the attack, bringing his blade around to block the next strike from Pein. His blade caught the arm of the silent man. He twisted again, his blade grinding against the iron like skin of his opponent. He hummed, his blades gathering chakra as he readied for his next strike. Pein just stood there, his face as emotionless as ever. Machi gripped the hilts of his blades tighter, sweaty palms sliding against their ray-skin covering.

Machi's blade impacted the stiff forearm of Pein and pounded against it, charka enforced edge finally succeeding in drawing blood. Still, Pein showed no emotion. Machi growled in frustration and his chakra pulsed, picking up on his agitation. He attacked again, faintly aware of the fight in the hall that had slowed to a lull. His eyes were filmed over, his face the picture of concentration.

He could feel himself fading.

The two warriors continued their dance of death, each striking like a cobra when the opportunity presented itself. Blade verse hand, Akatsuki verse Mist Swordsman. Their attacks flickered just inches away from each other, grazing the hems of their clothing. Each strike was timed precisely, measure to be the killing move, the severing attack that ended the others life.

Machi could feel the adrenaline, could feel his tainted blood, the lethal poison still working at his innards. He was fading. Darkness was coming and his body had succumbed to the fatal toxin running rampant through his body.

Death was coming.

He brandished his blades, wielding them with more ferocity that ever before. Machi was determined to take his enemy down with him, no matter what the odds.

His blades locked again with the stiff arms of Pein and he struggled against the Akatsuki leader's power.

Their dance of death continued.

He fought like a demon, blades wrenching down ruthlessly on his opponent, blows falling like rain from the sky. Rapid, quick, precise. Not enough. He pushed his body farther, his muscles feeling the strain of his ferocity.

The apathetic look never left Pein's face.

Time seemed to slow.

He saw the attack coming, watched it propel toward his face. His blades came up swiftly, steel glinting as it moved to parry the attack. Machi's eyes watched the attack, saw the opening.

He lunged.

His blades pierced through the face of Pein.

His mouth opened wide in surprise.

Blood trickled past his lips.

He glanced down at the bloody hand emerging from his chest and then his eyes flickered to the figure in front him. A figure that was rapidly dissolving into dust.

His hands fell, blades still clutched tightly in his grasp.

Machi chuckled, blood spewing from his open mouth.

'It was fun while it lasted…'

His eyes shifted to his daughter.

'Looks like I couldn't win this time…'

His eyes cloud over and the image of a laughing blonde flashed across his thoughts.

A drop of his poison laced blood dripped to the floor.

He turned his head again.

He locked his gaze onto his daughter.

She saw him, her eyes fixed onto his.

Naruto, he mouthed.

His eyes closed, foggy gaze now finally resigning to fate.

'I hope you take care of her…I hope with all my soul…please…my last wish…Kami…please…take care of her…of both of them…'

His heart quit beating.

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Pein's hand ran her father through.

Blood splattered over the white room.

She opened her mouth in a silent scream.

The Akatsuki leader pulled his bloody fingers from her father's chest. He flexed them, as if testing if they still worked. Without a glance to the swordsman, he roughly shoved him, pulling his arm away from the gaping, bloody hole in the man's chest. He turned, his eyes locking on the shocked face of Mitoko.

For the first time in the whole battle, Mitoko saw a flicker of emotion on the man's face.

A small smirk.

Her gaze danced from the face of Pein to the mauled corpse of her father, to the feral grin adorned on the man in the corner of the room. Finally her eyes settled on the body of her father. The blades were still held tight in his grasp. Mitoko almost broke down crying at what she saw next.

He was smiling.

Her father, a man who had fought countless battles over the years, scars marking each one, was smiling, his face fixed into a small grin.

It was the only way for a warrior to go out.

Her senses dulled. Her eyes glazed over and she seemed not worried at all that a killer was standing right in front of her.

The raging charka between the unnamed woman and Itachi flared outside but she tuned it out. She tuned it all out.

It wasn't important now.

The image of her father flashed through her mind.

What had he been mouthing?

Carrot top? I love you? Take care? No…it was one word…just one word.

Naruto?

She paused, her train of thought completely thrown off.

Naruto?

Something inside her stirred.

The blonde guy…

Naruto.

Her eyes flicker to the smirking man standing in the corner of the room.

Hideo.

Her father's last word came back to her.

Naruto.

Something clicked. Her hands began to shake.

Naruto…

Her mouth opened and the sound that emitted tore across the surrounding like a whirlwind. The scream welled up from the bottom of her heart, expanded in her lungs and ripped from her throat.

"NARUTO!"

Something inside Mitoko snapped.

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AN: Review please…

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